een very bad policy,
Maurice thought, to oppose her whim. He rang the bell, and they were
admitted without difficulty into the open space in front of the chapel.
The old man who let them in pointed to the half-open door, and, saying
that his wife was in there with a party, retreated, and left them to
find their own way into the building itself. They passed quietly through
the entrance and into the soft grey light of the chapel. Lucia stopped
only to take one glance of the tiny interior, so coldly mournful with
its black draperies and chill white and grey marble, and then passed
round to examine more closely the monument which marks the very spot
where the fatal accident occurred. Maurice followed her. They stood half
concealed by the monument, and speaking low, while the tones of other
voices could be distinctly heard from the recess behind the altar where
the English visitors were examining the picture of the Duke's death.
There was one rather high-pitched female voice which broke the solemn
stillness unpleasantly, and as it became more audible, Lucia laid her
hand softly on Maurice's arm to make him listen, and looked up in his
face with eyes full of laughter. The lady was talking French to the
guide with a strong English accent and in a peculiar drawl, which had a
very droll effect. It was a manner new to them both, though Maurice
could not help thinking, as he listened, of Percy in his worst moods.

"I am glad to have seen it," the voice said, "and quite by chance, too;
it is excessively interesting, so melancholy. Ah! you say that they laid
him just there? It makes one shudder! No, I will not go near the place;
it is too shocking."

At the last words Maurice and Lucia saw the speaker emerge from behind
the altar on the side furthest from where they stood. She was a tall
woman, neither young nor pretty, but very fashionable--distinguished,
Lucia supposed she should be called; and but for the peculiarity of her
voice, would have made a favourable rather than an unfavourable
impression on a stranger. She stopped just at the top of the steps, and
turned round to speak again to some one behind her who was still
concealed by the altar. This time she spoke English in a lower tone, and
with a greater drawl.

"Really, Edward," she said, "it is very small. Pray don't give the
woman much; you know how heavy our expenses are. I think I ought to
carry the purse."

"As you please, my dear; it would save me trouble, certainly