lp knowing, and you would be very sorry for it. And that boy
Lionel, who was as proud as Guy Darrell himself when I saw him last
(prouder indeed)--that he should be so ungrateful to his benefactor!
And, indeed, the day may come when he may turn round on you, or on the
lame old gentleman, and say he has been disgraced. Should not wonder at
all! Young folks when they are sweet-hearting only talk about roses and
angels, and such-like; but when husbands and wives fall out, as they
always do sooner or later, they don't mince their words then, and they
just take the sharpest thing that they can find at their tongue's end.
So you may depend on it, my dear Miss, that some day or other that young
Haughton will say, 'that you lost him the old Manor-house and the old
Darrell name,' and have been his disgrace; that's the very word, Miss; I
have heard husbands and wives say it to each other over and over again."

SOPHY.--"Oh, Mr. Fairthorn! Mr. Fairthorn! these horrid words cannot be
meant for me. I will go to Mr. Darrell--I will ask him how I can be a
dis--" Her lips could not force out the word.

FAIRTHORN.--"Ay; go to Mr. Darrell, if you please. He will deny it all;
he will never speak to me again. I don't care--I am reckless. But it is
not the less true that you make him an exile because you may make me a
beggar."

SOPHY (wringing her hands).--"Have you no mercy, Mr. Fairthorn? Will you
not explain?"

FAIRTHORN.--"Yes, if you will promise to keep it secret at least for the
next six months--anything for breathing-time."

SOPHY (impatiently).--"I promise, I promise; speak, speak."

And then Fairthorn did speak! He did speak of Jasper Losely--his
character--his debasement--even of his midnight visit to her host's
chamber. He did speak of the child fraudulently sought to be thrust
on Darrell--of Darrell's just indignation and loathing. The man was
merciless; though he had not an idea of the anguish he was inflicting,
he was venting his own anguish. All the mystery of her past life became
clear at once to the unhappy girl--all that had been kept from her
by protecting love. All her vague conjectures now became a dreadful
certainty;--explained now why Lionel had fled her--why he had written
that letter, over the contents of which she had pondered, with her
finger on her lip, as if to hush her own sighs--all, all! She marry
Lionel now! impossible! She bring disgrace upon him in return for
such generous, magnanimous affection! She