had not moved since the morning. There had come
over her face a look of fixed but almost idiotic resolution; her
mouth was compressed, and her eyes were glazed, and she sat twiddling
her book before her with her fingers. She had eaten nothing since she
had got up, and had long ceased to be violent when questioned by her
aunt. But, nevertheless, she was firm enough when her aunt begged to
be allowed to write a letter to Sir Griffin, explaining that all this
had arisen from temporary indisposition. "No; it isn't temporary. It
isn't temporary at all. You can write to him; but I'll never come out
of this room if I am told that I am to see him."

"What is all this about, Lucinda?" said Lord George, speaking in his
kindest voice.

"Is he there?" said she, turning round suddenly.

"Sir Griffin?--no indeed. He has left town."

"You're sure he's not there? It's no good his coming. If he comes for
ever and ever he shall never touch me again;--not alive; he shall
never touch me again alive." As she spoke she moved across the room
to the fire-place and grasped the poker in her hand.

"Has she been like that all the morning?" whispered Lord George.

"No;--not like. She has been quite quiet. Lucinda!"

"Don't let him come here, then; that's all. What's the use? They
can't make me marry him. And I won't marry him. Everybody has known
that I hated him,--detested him. Oh, Lord George, it has been very,
very cruel."

"Has it been my fault, Lucinda?"

"She wouldn't have done it if you had told her not. But you won't
bring him again;--will you?"

"Certainly not. He means to go abroad."

"Ah,--yes; that will be best. Let him go abroad. He knew it all the
time,--that I hated him. Why did he want me to be his wife? If he has
gone abroad, I will go down-stairs. But I won't go out of the house.
Nothing shall make me go out of the house. Are the bridesmaids gone?"

"Long ago," said Mrs. Carbuncle, piteously.

"Then I will go down." And, between them, they led her into the
drawing-room.

"It is my belief," said Lord George to Mrs. Carbuncle, some minutes
afterwards, "that you have driven her mad."

"Are you going to turn against me?"

"It is true. How you have had the heart to go on pressing it upon
her, I could never understand. I am about as hard as a milestone, but
I'll be shot if I could have done it. From day to day I thought that
you would have given way."

"That is so like a man,--when it is all over, to turn upon a w