such a moment, it must have been so difficult to think of what ought
to be done."
"Yes, indeed; and there is but little good in speculating upon it now.
You know this place, do you not--the house, I mean, and the gardens?"
"Not very well." Florence, as she answered this question, began again to
tremble. "Take a turn with me, and I will show you the garden. My hat
and cloak are in the hall." Then Florence got up to accompany her,
trembling very much inwardly. "Miss Burton and I are going out for a few
minutes," said Lady Ongar, addressing herself to Mrs. Clavering. "We
will not keep you waiting very long."
"We are in no hurry," said Mrs. Clavering. Then Florence was carried
off, and found herself alone with her conquered rival.
"Not that there is much to show you," said Lady Ongar--"indeed nothing;
but the place must be of more interest to you than to any one else, and
if you are fond of that sort of thing, no doubt you will make it all
that is charming."
"I am very fond of a garden," said Florence.
"I don't know whether I am. Alone, by myself I think I should care
nothing for the prettiest Eden in all England. I don't think I would
care for a walk through the Elysian fields by myself. I am a chameleon,
and take the color of those with whom I live. My future colors will not
be very bright, as I take it. It's a gloomy place enough, is it not? But
there are fine trees, you see, which are the only things which one can
not by any possibility command. Given good trees, taste and money may do
anything very quickly, as I have no doubt you'll find."
"I don't suppose I shall have much to do with it--at present."
"I should think that you will have everything to do with it. There, Miss
Burton, I brought you here to show you this very spot, and to make to
you my confession here, and to get from you, here, one word of
confidence, if you will give it me." Florence was trembling now
outwardly as well as inwardly. "You know my story--as far, I mean, as I
had a story once, in conjunction with Harry Clavering?"
"I think I do," said Florence.
"I am sure you do," said Lady Ongar. "He has told me that you do, and
what he says is always true. It was here, on this spot, that I gave him
back his troth to me, and told him that I would have none of his love,
because he was poor. That is barely two years ago. Now he is poor no
longer. Now, had I been true to him, a marriage with him would have
been, in a prudential point of v
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