d conduct to feel any
real friendship for you, and as I am without your talent for
dissimulation, I cannot assume the appearance of it. I must, therefore,
beg that hereafter all familiar intercourse may cease between us; and if
I still continue to treat you with civility, as if you were a woman
worthy of consideration and respect, understand that it is out of regard
for your cousin Milicent's feelings, not for yours.'

Upon perusing this she turned scarlet, and bit her lip. Covertly tearing
away the leaf, she crumpled it up and put it in the fire, and then
employed herself in turning over the pages of the book, and, really or
apparently, perusing its contents. In a little while Milicent announced
it her intention to repair to the nursery, and asked if I would accompany
her.

'Annabella will excuse us,' said she; 'she's busy reading.'

'No, I won't,' cried Annabella, suddenly looking up, and throwing her
book on the table; 'I want to speak to Helen a minute. You may go,
Milicent, and she'll follow in a while.' (Milicent went.) 'Will you
oblige me, Helen?' continued she.

Her impudence astounded me; but I complied, and followed her into the
library. She closed the door, and walked up to the fire.

'Who told you this?' said she.

'No one: I am not incapable of seeing for myself.'

'Ah, you are suspicious!' cried she, smiling, with a gleam of hope.
Hitherto there had been a kind of desperation in her hardihood; now she
was evidently relieved.

'If I were suspicious,' I replied, 'I should have discovered your infamy
long before. No, Lady Lowborough, I do not found my charge upon
suspicion.'

'On what do you found it, then?' said she, throwing herself into an
arm-chair, and stretching out her feet to the fender, with an obvious
effort to appear composed.

'I enjoy a moonlight ramble as well as you,' I answered, steadily fixing
my eyes upon her; 'and the shrubbery happens to be one of my favourite
resorts.'

She coloured again excessively, and remained silent, pressing her finger
against her teeth, and gazing into the fire. I watched her a few moments
with a feeling of malevolent gratification; then, moving towards the
door, I calmly asked if she had anything more to say.

'Yes, yes!' cried she eagerly, starting up from her reclining posture.
'I want to know if you will tell Lord Lowborough?'

'Suppose I do?'

'Well, if you are disposed to publish the matter, I cannot dissuade you,
of course--but the