y? Who would not?"

"Harley, my own son," said the mother, bursting into tears, "be happy
your own way; only be happy, that is all I ask."

Harley, much affected, replied gratefully and soothingly to this fond
injunction. And then gradually leading his mother on to converse
of Helen, asked abruptly, "And of the chance of our happiness,--her
happiness as well as mine,--what is your opinion? Speak frankly."

"Of her happiness there can be no doubt," replied the mother, proudly.
"Of yours, how can you ask me? Have you not decided on that yourself?"

"But still it cheers and encourages one in any experiment, however well
considered, to hear the approval of another. Helen has certainly a most
gentle temper."

"I should conjecture so. But her mind--"

"Is very well stored."

"She speaks so little--"

"Yes. I wonder why? She's surely a woman!"

"Pshaw," said the countess, smiling in spite of herself.

"But tell me more of the process of your experiment. You took her as a
child, and resolved to train her according to your own ideal. Was that
easy?"

"It seemed so. I desired to instil habits of truth: she was already by
nature truthful as the day; a taste for Nature and all things natural:
that seemed inborn; perceptions of Art as the interpreter of Nature:
those were more difficult to teach. I think they may come. You have
heard her play and sing?"

"NO."

"She will surprise you. She has less talent for drawing; still, all
that teaching could do has been done,--in a word, she is accomplished.
Temper, heart, mind,--these all are excellent." Harley stopped, and
suppressed a sigh. "Certainly I ought to be very happy," said he; and he
began to wind up his watch.

"Of course she must love you," said the countess, after a pause. "How
could she fail?"

"Love me! My dear mother, that is the very question I shall have to
ask."

"Ask! Love is discovered by a glance; it has no need of asking."

"I have never discovered it, then, I assure you. The fact is, that
before her childhood was passed, I removed her, as you may suppose,
from my roof. She resided with an Italian family near my usual abode. I
visited her often, directed her studies, watched her improvement--"

"And fell in love with her?"

"Fall is such a very violent word. No; I don't remember to have had a
fall. It was all a smooth inclined plane from the first step, until at
last I said to myself, 'Harley L'Estrange, thy time has come. The bud
has blossom