t I have a right to think of you as my own,
till you have heard all. You ought to know what my temper is before you
risk yourself in its power. Amy, my first thought towards Philip was
nothing short of murder.'

She raised her eyes, and saw how far entirely he meant what he said.

'The first--not the second,' she murmured.

'Yes, the second--the third. There was a moment when I could have given
my soul for my revenge!'

'Only a moment!'

'Only a moment, thank Heaven! and I have not done quite so badly since.
I hope I have not suffered quite in vain; but if that shock could
overthrow all my wonted guards, it might, though I pray Heaven it may
not, it might happen again.'

'I think you conquered yourself then, and that you will again,' said
Amy.

'And suppose I was ever to be mad enough to be angry with you?'

Amy smiled outright here. 'Of course, I should deserve it; but I think
the trouble would be the comforting you afterwards. Mamma said'--she
added, after a long silence, during which Guy's feeling would not let
him speak--'mamma said, and I think, that you are much safer and better
with such a quick temper as yours, because you are always struggling and
fighting with it, on the real true religious ground, than a person more
even tempered by nature, but not so much in earnest in doing right.'

'Yes, if I did not believe myself to be in earnest about that, I could
never dare to speak to you at all.'

'We will help each other,' said Amy; 'you have always helped me, long
before we knew we cared for each other!'

'And, Amy, if you knew how the thought of you helped me last winter,
even when I thought I had forfeited you for ever.'

Their talk only ceased when, at one o'clock, Mrs. Edmonstone, who had
pronounced in the dressing-room that three hours was enough for them
at once, came in, and asked Guy to go and help to carry Charles
down-stairs.

He went, and Amy nestled up to her mother, raising her face to be
kissed.

'It is very nice!' she whispered; and then arranged her brother's sofa,
as she heard his progress down-stairs beginning. He was so light and
thin as to be very easily carried, and was brought in between Guy
and one of the servants. When he was settled on the sofa, he began
thus,--'There was a grand opportunity lost last winter. I was
continually rehearsing the scene, and thinking what waste it was to go
through such a variety of torture without the dignity of danger. If I
could but have go