h parentage--on
one side."

Why this fact, so simply stated, should have startled her husband so
much, Lucy could not imagine. He almost gasped as he met her eyes, as if
he had received or feared a sudden blow, and underneath the brownness of
his complexion grew suddenly pale, all the ruddy colour forsaking his
face. "Of English parentage!" he said, faltering, "do you mean?--what do
you mean? Why--do you tell this to me?"

Lucy was surprised, but saw no significance in his agitation. And her
mind was full of her own purpose. "Because of the will which is against
foreigners," she said simply. "But in that case she would not be a
foreigner, Tom. I think a great deal of this. I want to do it. Oh, don't
oppose me! It makes it so much harder when you go against me."

He gazed at her with a sort of awe. He did not seem able to speak. What
she had said, though she was unconscious of any special meaning in it,
seemed to have acted upon him like a spell. There was something tragic
in his look which frightened Lucy. She came closer still and put her
hand upon his arm.

"Oh, it is not to trouble you, Tom; it is not that I want to go against
you! But give me your consent this once. Baby is so fond of her, and she
is so good to him. I want to give something to Bice. Let me make a
provision for her?" she said, pleading. "Do not take all the pleasure
out of it and oppose me. Oh, dear Tom, give me your free consent!" Lucy
cried.

He kept gazing at her with that look of awe. "Oppose you!" he said. What
was the shock he had received which made him so unlike himself? His very
lips quivered as he spoke. "God forgive me; what have I been doing?" he
cried. "Lucy, I think I will never oppose you more."

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

DISCOVERIES.

This interview had an agitating and painful effect upon Lucy, though she
could not tell why. It was not what she expected or feared--neither in
one sense nor the other. He had neither distressed her by opposing her
proceedings, nor accepted her beneficence towards the Contessa with
levity and satisfaction, both of which dangers she had been prepared
for. Instead, however, of agitating her by the reception he gave to her
proposal, it was he who was agitated by something which in entire
unconsciousness she had said. But what that could be Lucy could not
divine. She had said nothing that could affect him personally so far as
she knew. She went over every word of the conversation without being
abl