native powers, of a home besides your own. Lady
Lansmere, you cannot hesitate!"

LADY LANSMERE.--"I do, I do? After all that I have hoped after all that
I did to prevent--"

EGERTON (interrupting her).--"You owe him now an atonement; that is in
your power,--it is not in mine." The countess again pressed Audley's
hand, and the tears gushed from her eyes.

"It shall be so. I consent, I consent. I will silence, I will crush back
this proud heart. Alas! it well-nigh broke his own! I am glad you
speak thus. I like to think he owes my consent to you. In that there is
atonement for both."

"You are too generous, madam," said Egerton, evidently moved, though
still, as ever, striving to repress emotion. "And now may I see the
young lady? This conference pains me; you see even my strong nerves
quiver; and at this time I have much to go through,--need of all my
strength and firmness."

"I hear, indeed, that the Government will probably retire. But it is
with honour: it will be soon called back by the voice of the nation."

"Let me see the future wife of Harley L'Estrange," said Egerton, without
heed of this consolatory exclamation.

The countess rose and left the room. In a few minutes she returned with
Helen Digby.

Helen was wondrously improved from the pale, delicate child, with the
soft smile and intelligent eyes, who had sat by the side of Leonard
in his garret. She was about the middle height, still slight, but
beautifully formed; that exquisite roundness of proportion which conveys
so well the idea of woman, in its undulating, pliant grace,--formed to
embellish life, and soften away its rude angles; formed to embellish,
not to protect. Her face might not have satisfied the critical eye of
an artist,--it was not without defects in regularity; but its expression
was eminently gentle and prepossessing; and there were few who would not
have exclaimed, "What a lovely countenance!" The mildness of her brow
was touched with melancholy--her childhood had left its traces on her
youth. Her step was slow, and her manner shy, subdued, and timid.

Audley gazed on her with earnestness as she approached him; and then
coming forward, took her hand and kissed it. "I am your guardian's
constant friend," said he, and he drew her gently to a seat beside him,
in the recess of a window. With a quick glance of his eye towards the
countess, he seemed to imply the wish to converse with Helen somewhat
apart. So the countess interpreted th