n Aylmer, at once.

"Simply this,--that your mother has insulted me most wantonly."

"She says that it is you who have been uncourteous to her."

"Be it so;--you can of course believe whichever you please, and it is
desirable, no doubt, that you should prefer to believe your mother."

"But I do not wish there to be any quarrel."

"But there is a quarrel, Captain Aylmer, and I must leave your
father's house. I cannot stay here after what has taken place. Your
mother told me;--I cannot tell you what she told me, but she made
against me just those accusations which she knew it would be the
hardest for me to bear."

"I'm sure you have mistaken her."

"No; I have not mistaken her."

"And where do you propose to go?"

"To Mrs. Askerton."

"Oh, Clara!"

"I have written to Mrs. Askerton to ask her to receive me for awhile.
Indeed, I may almost say that I had no other choice."

"If you go there, Clara, there will be an end to everything."

"And there must be an end of what you call everything, Captain
Aylmer," said she, smiling. "It cannot be for your good to bring into
your family a wife of whom your mother would think so badly as she
thinks of me."

There was a great deal said, and Captain Aylmer walked very often up
and down the room, endeavouring to make some arrangement which might
seem in some sort to appease his mother. Would Clara only allow a
telegram to be sent to Mrs. Askerton, to explain that she had changed
her mind? But Clara would allow no such telegram to be sent, and on
that evening she packed up all her things. Captain Aylmer saw her
again and again, sending Belinda backwards and forwards, and making
different appointments up to midnight; but it was all to no purpose,
and on the next morning she took her departure alone in the Aylmer
Park carriage for the railway station. Captain Aylmer had proposed to
go with her; but she had so stoutly declined his company that he was
obliged to abandon his intention. She saw neither of the ladies on
that morning, but Sir Anthony came out to say a word of farewell to
her in the hall. "I am very sorry for all this," said he. "It is a
pity," said Clara, "but it cannot be helped. Good-bye, Sir Anthony."
"I hope we may meet again under pleasanter circumstances," said the
baronet. To this Clara made no reply, and was then handed into the
carriage by Captain Aylmer.

"I am so bewildered," said he, "that I cannot now say anything
definite, but I shall write to yo