of you in that way. If I could see you put
your hand in his as his promised wife, I think that I should be the
happiest woman in the world."

"Mamma, I cannot make you happy in that way. If you really understood
my feelings, my doing as you propose would make you very unhappy. I
should commit a great sin,--the sin against which women should be
more guarded than against any other. In my heart I am married to that
other man. I gave myself to him, and loved him, and rejoiced in his
love. When he kissed me I kissed him again, and I longed for his
kisses. I seemed to live only that he might caress me. All that time
I never felt myself to be wrong,--because he was all in all to me. I
was his own. That has been changed,--to my great misfortune; but it
cannot be undone or forgotten. I cannot be the girl I was before he
came here. There are things that will not have themselves buried and
put out of sight, as though they had never been. I am as you are,
mamma,--widowed. But you have your daughter, and I have my mother. If
you will be contented, so will I." Then she got up and threw herself
on her mother's neck.

Mrs Dale's argument was over now. To such an appeal as that last made
by Lily no rejoinder on her part was possible. After that she was
driven to acknowledge to herself that she must be silent. Years as
they rolled on might make a change, but no reasoning could be of
avail. She embraced her daughter, weeping over her,--whereas Lily's
eyes were dry. "It shall be as you will," Mrs Dale murmured.

"Yes, as I will. I shall have my own way; shall I not? That is all
I want; to be a tyrant over you, and make you do my bidding in
everything, as a well-behaved mother should do. But I won't be stern
in my orderings. If you will only be obedient, I will be so gracious
to you! There's Hopkins again. I wonder whether he has come to knock
us down and trample upon us with another speech."

Hopkins knew very well to which window he must come, as only one
of the rooms was at the present time habitable. He came up to the
dining-room, and almost flattened his nose against the glass.

"Well, Hopkins," said Lily, "here we are." Mrs Dale had turned her
face away, for she knew that the tears were still on her cheek.

"Yes, miss, I see you. I want to speak to your mamma, miss."

"Come round," said Lily, anxious to spare her mother the necessity
of showing herself at once. "It's too cold to open the window; come
round, and I'll open the d