nacceptable, there was something which
compensated for all in the excitement of spirits an act of opposition
was sure to produce; nor was it without a sense of triumph that she read
lines penned in evident sorrow and depression of spirit. In fact, she
made the not uncommon error of mistaking sorrow for repentance, and
thought she perceived in her husband's tone a desire to retrace his
steps. It is difficult to say whether such an amende would have
given her pleasure; certainly she would not have accepted it without
subjecting him to a term of probation of more or less length. In any
case, as regarded Kate, she was decided at once upon a positive refusal;
and as, with her, a resolve and a mode of action were usually the work
of the same moment, she motioned to Kate to sit down beside her on the
sofa, and passing her arm around her, drew her fondly towards her.

"Kate, dearest," said she, "I 'm sure nothing would induce you to leave
me, I mean, to desert and forsake me."

Kate pressed the hand she held in her own to her lips with fervor, but
could not speak for emotion.

"I say this," said Lady Hester, rapidly, "because the moment has come to
test your fidelity. Sir Stafford and I it is needless to state how and
by what means have at last discovered, what I fancy the whole world has
seen for many a day, that we were totally unsuited to each other, in
taste, age, habit, feeling, mode of life, and thought; that we have
nothing in common, neither liking nor detesting the same things,
but actually at variance upon every possible subject and person. Of
course-all attempt to cover such discrepancies must be a failure. We
might trump up a hollow truce, child, but it never could be an alliance;
and so we have thought, I 'm sure it is well that we have hit upon even
one topic for agreement, we have thought that the best, indeed the only,
thing we could do, was to separate."

An exclamation, almost like an accent of pain, escaped Kate at these
words.

"Yes, dearest," resumed Lady Hester, "it was his own proposal, made in
the very coldest imaginable fashion; for men have constantly this
habit, and always take the tone of dignity when they are about to do
an injustice. All this, however, I was prepared for, and could suffer
without complaint; but he desires to rob me of you, my dear child, to
deprive me of the only friend, the only confidante I have in the world.
I don't wonder that you grow pale and look shocked at such cruelty