te of what he had said and felt, he
would imagine to himself that she also would be cold and untrue. "Let
her go," he said to himself. "Love is worth nothing--nothing if it
does not believe itself to be of more worth than everything beside.
If she does not love me now in my misery--if she would not choose me
now for her husband--her love has never been worthy the name. Love
that has no faith in itself, that does not value itself above all
worldly things, is nothing. If it be not so with her, let her go back
to him."

It may easily be understood who was the him. And then Herbert walked
on so rapidly that at length his strength almost failed him, and in
his exhaustion he had more than once to lean against a gate on the
road-side. With difficulty at last he got home, and dragged himself
up the long avenue to the front door. Even yet he was not warm
through to his heart, and he felt as he entered the house that he was
quite unfitted for the work which he might yet have to do before he
could go to his bed.

CHAPTER XXVII.

COMFORTED.

When Herbert Fitzgerald got back to Castle Richmond it was nearly
dark. He opened the hall door without ringing the bell, and walking
at once into the dining-room, threw himself into a large leathern
chair which always stood near the fire-place. There was a bright fire
burning on the hearth, and he drew himself close to it, putting his
wet feet up on to the fender, thinking that he would at any rate warm
himself before he went in among any of the family. The room, with
its deep red curtains and ruby-embossed paper, was almost dark, and
he knew that he might remain there unseen and unnoticed for the
next half hour. If he could only get a glass of wine! He tried the
cellaret, which was as often open as locked, but now unfortunately
it was closed. In such a case it was impossible to say whether the
butler had the key or Aunt Letty; so he sat himself down without that
luxury.

By this time, as he well knew, all would have been told to his
mother, and his first duty would be to go to her--to go to her and
comfort her, if comfort might be possible, by telling her that he
could bear it all; that as far as he was concerned title and wealth
and a proud name were as nothing to him in comparison with his
mother's love. In whatever guise he may have appeared before Lady
Desmond, he would not go to his mother with a fainting heart. She
should not hear his teeth chatter, nor see his limbs sha