ould have
become him to have kept her bound to her engagements had she feared
poverty as most girls in her position would have feared it. But on
this point she would not hear much from him, lest the very fact of
her hearing it should make it seem that such a line of conduct were
possible to her.

"You know nothing about most girls, sir, or about any, I am afraid;
not even about one. And if most girls were frightfully heartless,
which they are not, what right had you to liken me to most girls?
Emmeline knew better, and why could not you take her as a type of
most girls? You have behaved very badly, Master Herbert, and you know
it; and nothing on earth shall make me forgive you; nothing--but
your promise that you will not so misjudge me any more." And then
the tears came to his eyes, and her face was again hidden on his
shoulder.

It was not very probable that after such a commencement the interview
would terminate in a manner favourable to the wishes of the countess.
Clara swore to her lover that she had given him all that she had to
give,--her heart, and will, and very self; and swore, also, that she
could not and would not take back the gift. She would remain as she
was now as long as he thought proper, and would come to him whenever
he should tell her that his home was large enough for them both. And
so that matter was settled between them.

Then she had much to say about his mother and sisters, and a word
too about his poor father. And now that it was settled between them
so fixedly, that come what might they were to float together in the
same boat down the river of life, she had a question or two also to
ask, and her approbation to give or to withhold, as to his future
prospects. He was not to think, she told him, of deciding on anything
without at any rate telling her. So he had to explain to her all the
family plans, making her know why he had decided on the law as his
own path to fortune, and asking for and obtaining her consent to all
his proposed measures.

In this way her view of the matter became more and more firmly
adopted as that which should be the view resolutely to be taken by
them both. The countess had felt that that interview would be fatal
to her; and she had been right. But how could she have prevented it?
Twenty times she had resolved that she would prevent it; but twenty
times she had been forced to confess that she was powerless to do so.
In these days a mother even can only exercise such