of her lover. He had learned everything from
Lily,--all, at least, that Lily knew,--and regarded the matter
rather as a good joke. "Don't see him too often," he had said to
her, "for fear he should make an ass of himself." Lily had told him
everything,--all that she could tell; but yet he did not in the least
comprehend that Lily had, in truth, a warm affection for the young
man whom he despised.

"Thank you, no," said Crosbie. "I never do take wine in the middle of
the day."

"But a bit of cake?" And Mrs Eames by her look implored him to do
her so much honour. She implored Captain Dale, also, but they were
both inexorable. I do not know that the two girls were at all more
inclined to eat and drink than the two men; but they understood
that Mrs Eames would be broken-hearted if no one partook of her
delicacies. The little sacrifices of society are all made by women,
as are also the great sacrifices of life. A man who is good for
anything is always ready for his duty, and so is a good woman always
ready for a sacrifice.

"We really must go now," said Bell, "because of the horses." And
under this excuse they got away.

"You will come over before you go back to London, John?" said Lily,
as he came out with the intention of helping her mount, from which
purpose, however, he was forced to recede by the iron will of Mr
Crosbie.

"Yes, I'll come over again--before I go. Good-bye."

"Good-bye, John," said Bell. "Good-bye, Eames," said Captain Dale.
Crosbie, as he seated himself in the saddle, made the very slightest
sign of recognition, to which his rival would not condescend to pay
any attention. "I'll manage to have a fight with him in some way,"
said Eames to himself as he walked back through the passage of his
mother's house. And Crosbie, as he settled his feet in the stirrups,
felt that he disliked the young man more and more. It would be
monstrous to suppose that there could be aught of jealousy in the
feeling; and yet he did dislike him very strongly, and felt almost
angry with Lily for asking him to come again to Allington. "I must
put an end to all that," he said to himself as he rode silently out
of town.

"You must not snub my friends, sir," said Lily, smiling as she spoke,
but yet with something of earnestness in her voice. They were out of
the town by this time, and Crosbie had hardly uttered a word since
they had left Mrs Eames's door. They were now on the high road, and
Bell and Bernard Dale were somewh