ma."

"When I think of it I cannot but weep"--and the poor mother burst out
into a full flood of tears--"such a man, so good, so gentle, and so
truly devoted to you."

"Mamma, what's the good of that now?"

"Going down all the way to Devonshire after you!"

"So did Hugh, mamma."

"A position that any girl in England would have envied you. I cannot
but feel it. And Emily says she is sure he would come back if he got
the very slightest encouragement."

"That is quite impossible, mamma."

"Why should it be impossible? Emily declares that she never saw a man
so much in love in her life;--and she says also that she believes he
is abroad now simply because he is broken-hearted about it."

"Mr. Glascock, mamma, was very nice and good and all that; but indeed
he is not the man to suffer from a broken heart. And Emily is quite
mistaken. I told him the whole truth."

"What truth?"

"That there was somebody else that I did love. Then he said that of
course that put an end to it all, and he wished me good-bye ever so
calmly."

"How could you be so infatuated? Why should you have cut the ground
away from your feet in that way?"

"Because I chose that there should be an end to it. Now there has
been an end to it; and it is much better, mamma, that we should
not think about Mr. Glascock any more. He will never come again to
me,--and if he did, I could only say the same thing."

"You mustn't be surprised, Nora, if I'm unhappy; that is all. Of
course I must feel it. Such a connection as it would have been for
your sisters! Such a home for poor Emily in her trouble! And as for
this other man--"

"Mamma, don't speak ill of him."

"If I say anything of him, I must say the truth," said Lady Rowley.

"Don't say anything against him, mamma, because he is to be my
husband. Dear, dear mamma, you can't change me by anything you say.
Perhaps I have been foolish; but it is settled now. Don't make me
wretched by speaking against the man whom I mean to love all my life
better than all the world."

"Think of Louis Trevelyan."

"I will think of no one but Hugh Stanbury. I tried not to love him,
mamma. I tried to think that it was better to make believe that I
loved Mr. Glascock. But he got the better of me, and conquered me,
and I will never rebel against him. You may help me, mamma;--but you
can't change me."

CHAPTER LXIV.

SIR MARMADUKE AT HIS CLUB.

Sir Marmaduke had come away from his brother-in-law the parso