ng, without any inward
suffering that would have disturbed the current of her life. But now
everything was over with her. She had no thought of dying, but her
future life was a blank to her.

She came down-stairs to sit at lunch with Lady Linlithgow, and
the old woman did not perceive that anything was amiss with her
companion. Further news had been heard of Lizzie Eustace, and of Lord
Fawn, and of the robberies, and the countess declared how she had
read in the newspaper that one man was already in custody for the
burglary at the house in Hertford Street. From that subject she
went on to tidings which had reached her from her old friend Lady
Clantantram that the Fawn marriage was on again. "Not that I believe
it, my dear; because I think that Mr. Greystock has made it quite
safe in that quarter." All this Lucy heard, and never showed by a
single sign, or by a motion of a muscle, that she was in pain. Then
Lady Linlithgow asked her what she meant to do after the 5th of
April. "I don't see at all why you shouldn't stay here, if you like
it, Miss Morris;--that is, if you have abandoned the stupid idea of
an engagement with Frank Greystock." Lucy smiled, and even thanked
the countess, and said that she had made up her mind to go back to
Richmond for a month or two, till she could get another engagement
as a governess. Then she returned to her room and sat again at her
window, looking out upon the street.

What did it matter now where she went? And yet she must go somewhere,
and do something. There remained to her the wearisome possession of
herself, and while she lived she must eat, and have clothes, and
require shelter. She could not dawdle out a bitter existence under
Lady Fawn's roof, eating the bread of charity, hanging about the
rooms and shrubberies useless and idle. How bitter to her was that
possession of herself, as she felt that there was nothing good to be
done with the thing so possessed! She doubted even whether ever again
she could become serviceable as a governess, and whether the energy
would be left to her of earning her bread by teaching adequately the
few things that she knew. But she must make the attempt,--and must go
on making it, till God in his mercy should take her to himself.

And yet but a few months since life had been so sweet to her! As
she felt this she was not thinking of those short days of excited,
feverish bliss in which she had believed that all the good things of
the world were to b