to me to hear you say it!"

"I'm afraid it would be only worth pain and grief to you, and anger
from every one," said she, in a low dejected voice, "far more than I
am worth."

"You? Trust me to judge of that, Lenore. Would not you be worth
all, and more than all, that flesh or spirit could feel! I could
face it all for one look from you!" said Frank, with fervour from
his heart of hearts.

"You make me more and more afraid. It is all too wretched to lead
any one into. Since I knew the whole truth, I have tried to spare
you from it."

"That is why you have been so cold, and held so cruelly aloof all
this time, so that if I had not caught one ray now and then, you
would have broken my heart, Lenore; as it is, I've been wretched
beyond description, hardly able to sleep by night or speak
rationally by day. How had you the heart to serve me so, like a
stony Greek statue?"

"I thought it must be right. It seemed to break my own heart too."

"That's the woman's way of showing a thing is right; but why I can't
see. If you did hate me, it might be all very well to throw me
over; but if not, why torture two as well as one? Are you afraid of
my people? I'll manage them."

"You little know--"

"Know what?"

"All that made it cruel in Camilla to throw us together."

"Cruel! when it was the crowning joy of my past life, and is to be
the crowning joy of the future?"

"How can it? Frank, you must know the causes your mother has for
abhorring any connection with our unhappy family."

"My mother has too much sense to think a little extravagance among
the men of a family can affect the daughters. I know the outer
world is afraid of her, but she is the tenderest and most indulgent
of mothers to us. No fear of her!"

"Ah! but that's not all."

"You mean that she has not taken much to your sister. I know; and
I'm very sorry; but bring them together, and it would soon be got
over. Besides, it is not your sister, but you. What do you mean?"
rather disconcerted.

"Then you really did not know of the old engagement between Camilla
and your eldest brother?"

"Oh, oh! So she consented once! Then she will do so again."

"Listen! Camilla broke it off because your mother could not resign
her position to her."

He gave a whistle of dismay, then recovering himself with a laugh,
said, "Fourth sons don't have such expectations founded on them.
Don't fear, dearest; that can't be all the story, though no doubt