settled. Perhaps, after all, they would be
married. It would be a pity, because she was not half nice enough for
him. And then Mary doubted whether Captain De Baron as a married man
would be nearly so pleasant as in his present condition. "I hope Miss
Mildmay is none the worse," she said.

"A little shaken in her nerves."

"Was--Augusta Mildmay there?"

"Oh dear no. It is quite out of her line. She is not at all disposed to
lay aside the feeblenesses of her sex and go into one of the learned
professions. By the bye, I am afraid you and she are not very good
friends."

"What makes you say that, Captain De Baron?"

"But are you?"

"I don't know why you should enquire."

"It is natural to wish that one's own friends should be friends."

"Has Miss Mildmay said--anything about--me?"

"Not a word;--nor you about her. And, therefore, I know that something
is wrong."

"The last time I saw her I did not think that Miss Mildmay was very
happy," said Mary, in a low voice.

"Did she complain to you?" Mary had no answer ready for this question.
She could not tell a lie easily, nor could she acknowledge the
complaint which the lady had made, and had made so loudly. "I suppose
she did complain," he said, "and I suppose I know the nature of her
complaint."

"I cannot tell;--though, of course, it was nothing to me."

"It is very much to me, though. I wish, Lady George, you could bring
yourself to tell me the truth." He paused, but she did not speak. "If
it were as I fear, you must know how much I am implicated. I would not
for the world that you should think I am behaving badly."

"You should not permit her to think so, Captain De Baron."

"She doesn't think so. She can't think so. I am not going to say a word
against her. She and I have been dear friends, and there is no
one,--hardly any one,--for whom I have a greater regard. But I do
protest to you, Lady George, that I have never spoken an untrue word to
Augusta Mildmay in my life."

"I have not accused you."

"But has she? Of course it is a kind of thing that a man cannot talk
about without great difficulty."

"Is it not a thing that a man should not talk about at all?"

"That is severe, Lady George;--much more severe than I should have
expected from your usual good nature. Had you told me that nothing had
been said to you, there would have been an end of it. But I cannot bear
to think that you should have been told that I had behaved badly, and
that I sho