g at the mercy of the charm that
encircled him. The water curved, and dimpled, and flowed flat, and the
whole body of it rushed into the spaces of sad splendour. The clustered
trees stood like temples of darkness; their shadows lengthened
supernaturally; and a pale gloom crept between them on the sward. He had
been thinking for some time that Rose would knock at his door, and give
him her voice, at least; but she did not come; and when he had gazed out
on the stream till his eyes ached, he felt that he must go and walk by
it. Those little flashes of the hurrying tide spoke to him of a secret
rapture and of a joy-seeking impulse; the pouring onward of all the
blood of life to one illumined heart, mournful from excess of love.

Pardon me, I beg. Enamoured young men have these notions. Ordinarily
Evan had sufficient common sense and was as prosaic as mankind could
wish him; but he has had a terrible fall in the morning, and a young
woman rages in his brain. Better, indeed, and 'more manly,' were he to
strike and raise huge bosses on his forehead, groan, and so have done
with it. We must let him go his own way.

At the door he was met by the Countess. She came into the room without
a word or a kiss, and when she did speak, the total absence of any
euphuism gave token of repressed excitement yet more than her angry
eyes and eager step. Evan had grown accustomed to her moods, and if
one moment she was the halcyon, and another the petrel, it no longer
disturbed him, seeing that he was a stranger to the influences by which
she was affected. The Countess rated him severely for not seeking repose
and inviting sympathy. She told him that the Jocelyns had one and all
combined in an infamous plot to destroy the race of Harrington, and
that Caroline had already succumbed to their assaults; that the Jocelyns
would repent it, and sooner than they thought for; and that the only
friend the Harringtons had in the house was Miss Bonner, whom Providence
would liberally reward.

Then the Countess changed to a dramatic posture, and whispered aloud,
'Hush: she is here. She is so anxious. Be generous, my brother, and let
her see you!'

'She?' said Evan, faintly. 'May she come, Louisa?' He hoped for Rose.

'I have consented to mask it,' returned the Countess. 'Oh, what do I not
sacrifice for you!'

She turned from him, and to Evan's chagrin introduced Juliana Bonner.

'Five minutes, remember!' said the Countess. 'I must not hear of more.'