that she had so far relented that even while the hated
man was there in her presence, she determined that she would once
again submit herself to make entreaties to her child, once again to
speak of all that she had endured, and to pray at least for delay if
nothing else could be accorded to her. If her girl would but promise
to remain with her for six months, then they might go abroad,--and
the chances afforded them by time and distance would be before her.
In that case she would lavish such love upon the girl, so many
indulgences, such sweets of wealth and ease, such store of caresses
and soft luxury, that surely the young heart might thus be turned
to the things which were fit for rank, and high blood, and splendid
possessions. It could not be but that her own child,--the child who
a few months since had been as gentle with her and as obedient as an
infant,--should give way to her as far as that. She tried it, and
her daughter had referred her prayer,--or had said that she would
refer it,--to the decision of her hated lover; and the mother had
at once lost all command of her temper. She had become fierce,--nay,
ferocious; and had lacked the guile and the self-command necessary to
carry out her purpose. Had she persevered Lady Anna must have granted
her the small boon that she then asked. But she had given way to her
wrath, and had declared that her daughter was her bitterest enemy.
As she seated herself at the old desk where Lady Anna left her, she
swore within her own bosom that the deed must be done.

Even at the moment when she was resolving that she would kneel once
more at her daughter's knees, she prepared herself for the work that
she must do, should the daughter still be as hard as stone to her.
"Come again at one to-morrow," she said to the tailor; and the tailor
said that he would come.

When she was alone she seated herself on her accustomed chair and
opened the old desk with a key that had now become familiar to her
hand. It was a huge piece of furniture,--such as is never made in
these days, but is found among every congregation of old household
goods,--with numberless drawers clustering below, with a vast body,
full of receptacles for bills, wills, deeds, and waste-paper, and
a tower of shelves above, ascending almost to the ceiling. In the
centre of the centre body was a square compartment, but this had been
left unlocked, so that its contents might be ready to her hand. Now
she opened it and took fro