f envied Amy, who had lost her dearest by
death, and held his heart fast to the last; not, like herself, doomed to
see the love decay for which she had endured so long--decay at the very
moment when the suspense was over.

Laura might justly have envied Amabel, though for another reason; it was
because in her cup there was no poison of her own infusing.

There she stayed till Charlotte came to summon her to tea, saying the
gentlemen, except Charles, were still in the dining-room.

They had remained sitting over the fire for a considerable space,
waiting for each other to begin, Mr. Edmonstone irresolute, Philip
striving to master his feelings, and to prevent increasing pain and
confusion from making him forget what he intended, to say. At last, Mr.
Edmonstone started up, pulled out his keys, took a candle, and said,
'Come to the study--I'll give you the Redclyffe papers.'

'Thank you,' said Philip, also rising, but only because he could not sit
while his uncle stood. 'Not to-night, if you please. I could not attend
to them.'

'What, your head? Eh?'

'Partly. Besides, there is another subject on which I hope you will set
me at rest before I can enter on any other.'

'Yes--yes--I know,' said Mr. Edmonstone, moving uneasily.

'I am perfectly conscious how deeply I have offended.'

Mr. Edmonstone could not endure the apology.

'Well, well,' he broke in nervously, 'I know all that, and it can't be
helped. Say no more about it. Young people will be foolish, and I have
been young and in love myself.'

That Captain Morville should live to be thankful for being forgiven in
consideration of Mr. Edmonstone's having been young!

'May I then consider myself as pardoned, and as having obtained your
sanction?'

'Yes, yes, yes; and I hope it will cheer poor Laura up again a little.
Four years has it gone on? Constancy, indeed! and it is time it should
be rewarded. We little thought what you were up to, so grave and demure
as you both were. So you won't have the papers to-night? I can't say
you do look fit for business. Perhaps Laura may suit you better--eh,
Philip?'

Love-making was such a charming sight to Mr. Edmonstone, that having
once begun to look on Philip and Laura as a pair of lovers, he could not
help being delighted, and forgetting, as well as forgiving, all that had
been wrong.

They did not, however, exactly answer his ideas; Laura did not once look
up, and Philip, instead of going boldly to take the pla