the child and nurse were
killed on the spot; two ladies, occupying the same compartment of the
carriage, had since died, one of whom was no doubt the mother and lady
he inquired for. She was dead and buried, sufficient money having been
found upon her person to defray the few necessary expenses.

Thus, through no premeditated intention of Lady Isabel, news of her
death went forth to Lord Mount Severn and to the world. _Her_ first
intimation that she was regarded as dead, was through a copy of that
very day's _Times_ seen by Mr. Carlyle--seen by Lord Mount Severn. An
English traveller, who had been amongst the sufferers, and who received
the English newspaper daily, sometimes lent them to her to read. She
was not travelling under her own name; she left that behind her when she
left Grenoble; she had rendered her own too notorious to risk the chance
recognition of travellers; and the authorities little thought that the
quiet unobtrusive Madame Vine, slowly recovering at the inn, was the
Dame Isabella Vane, respecting whom the grand English comte wrote.

Lady Isabel understood it at once; that the dispatching of her letter
had been the foundation of the misapprehension; and she began to ask
herself now, why she should undeceive Lord Mount Severn and the world.
She longed, none knew with what intense longings, to be unknown,
obscure, totally unrecognized by all; none can know it, till they have
put a barrier between themselves and the world, as she had done. The
child was gone--happy being! She thought she could never be sufficiently
thankful that it was released from the uncertain future--therefore she
had not his support to think of. She had only herself; and surely she
could with ease earn enough for that; or she could starve; it mattered
little which. No, there was no necessity for her continuing to accept
the bounty of Lord Mount Severn, and she would let him and everybody
else continue to believe that she was dead, and be henceforth only
Madame Vine. A resolution she adhered to.

Thus the unhappy Isabel's career was looked upon as run. Lord Mount
Severn forwarded her letter to Mr. Carlyle, with the confirmation of her
death, which he had obtained from the French authorities. It was a nine
day's wonder: "That poor, erring Lady Isabel was dead"--people did not
call her names in the very teeth of her fate--and then it was over.

It was over. Lady Isabel was as one forgotten.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

AN UNEXPECTED VISI