ry wants anything from the city," said Miss
Grainger, as she arose and left the room.

"Poor Florry! she is so distressed by that letter she received this
morning. Joseph has taken it in such ill part that you should have been
consulted by Aunt Grainger, and reproaches her for having permitted what
she really never heard of. Not that, as she herself says, she admits of
any right on his part to limit her source of advice. She thinks that it
is somewhat despotic in him to say, 'You shall not take counsel except
with leave from _me_.' She knows that this is the old vicar's doing, and
that Joseph never would have assumed that tone without being put up to
it."

"That is clear enough; but I am surprised that your sister saw it."

"Oh, she is not so deplorably in love as to be blinded."

CHAPTER XIII. AGAIN TO MILAN.

"POOR Bob! You were standing on that balcony with a very jaunty air,
smoking your cuba the last time I passed here," said Calvert, as he
looked up at the windows of the Hotel Royale at Milan, while he drove on
to another and less distinguished hotel. He would have liked greatly to
put up at the Royale, and had a chat with its gorgeous landlord over
the Reppinghams, how long they stayed and whither they went, and how
the young widow bore up under the blow, and what shape old Rep's grief
assumed.

No squeamishness as to the terms that might have been used towards
himself would have prevented his gratifying this wish. The obstacle was
purely financial He had told the host, on leaving, to pay a thousand
francs for him that he had lost at play, and it was by no means
convenient now to reimburse him. The bank had just closed as he arrived,
so there was nothing for it but to await its opening the next morning.
His steps were then turned to the Telegraph-office. The message to
Loyd was in these words: "Your letter received. I am here, and leave
to-morrow."

"Of course the fellow will understand that I have obeyed his high
behest, and I shall be back at Orta in time to catch the post on its
arrival, and see whether he has kept faith with me or not. If there be
no newspapers there for the villa I may conclude it is all right."
This brief matter of business over, he felt like one who had no further
occasion for care. When he laid down his burden he could straighten his
back, no sense of the late pressure remaining to remind him of the load
that had pressed so heavily. He knew this quality in himself, and
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