And the deep-set eyes and drooping ears of the great hound appeared from beneath the curtain. I looked in the direction of his eyes. In the doorway was the little lovely, quaint lady, and bending over her, so that his fair curls fell on her dark hair, was the gentleman who had last spoken to us. He had his child on his shoulder; and the little fellow steadied himself on his seat by clutching the thick curls so like his own. Some animated and happy secret was passing between the husband and wife, for floods of love and delight flashed from his eyes, while she looked up but once, answering him. What a beauty there is in holy conjugal love. As I turned from the sight, my eyes fell upon another picture. With the scowl of ancient days upon him. Glynne was also gazing on this pair; even in that instant, he too turned and caught my glance. I thought I had seen anger, jealousy, nay, despair, in that scowl, but it was gone. He came straight towards me with his usual calm, imperturbable countenance; and showing me Neville asleep in his arms, said— My boy is tired, he must go home." He laid a stress upon the word "my," and his voice sounded as if it came out of a vinegarcruet. CHAPTER XV. "What shall we do? Why, all. How many things, sir, do men live to do? I BID my new friends a hasty good-night, and departed. Glynne laid the boy on my knee in the carriage. I thought he was coming in, but he did not, he walked away with a quick step. Nevertheless, he was at home before us, ready to carry Neville to bed. cross. The next morning, "the Lady" was very She descanted for an hour on the rudeness and dulness of the people you meet at a London dinner-party. "One, a young girl, with extraordinary fine diamonds (so misplaced), did not even know I was the greatest lady there." "Was she blind?" observed Glynne. "And there was an old woman who absolutely claimed connexionship with me; and when I told her in my way (you know how dignified I can be, my Lord) that it was quite impossible, she said, with the utmost effrontery, 'Ah, my Lady, I do not wonder, in your situation, that you sometimes forget people in mine; as I often say to myself, if I was in her situation, I should not be able to do as I do in my situation."" "Aunt Scann!" exclaimed Glynne and I together. "Oh, then, you do know her; but what can she mean by my situation? I am in no situation." "The Lady" evidently thought that word referred to something in particular. I did not know how to answer, and I suppose Glynne would not. Luckily, there was some little disturbance down stairs, as if an arrival. In a few minutes Richard Graham appeared. "I have come for you, Nellie," he said. "Poor Lady Maria has had no rest since you left. She calls for you so incessantly, we could resist her cries no longer." "You are not obliged to go," said Glynne, coldly to me But he knew I should do so. "What on earth is to become of me?" said 'the Lady.' I ran up-stairs, and was coming down again already prepared to return with Richard, when a hand stayed me on the stairs. "I shall send Neville down to-morrow. You will promise to take him out once a day, yourself," said Glynne. "I promise," I answered. "Your life is precious to him, if to no one else." "It is very pleasant, Glynne, to think so; I will take every care of myself." "I had somewhat forgotten your nature, otherwise I should have imposed this heavy task on stronger shoulders," he continued. There is nothing to fear, with moderate care," I replied. "The Lady" was very angry, and would not wish me good-bye. On the journey down, Richard told me, the day after I left, Lady Maria had been very ill; the nurse said she had a bad night. Selina |