ered myself bound by my uncle's prayer to keep my hand
and heart disengaged, that this title--miserable and barren distinction
though it be!--might, as he so ardently desired, descend to Evelyn. I
had a right to expect similar honour upon her side!"

"Surely, my lord, you, to whom the late lord on his death-bed confided
all the motives of his conduct and the secret of his life, cannot but
be aware that, while desirous of promoting your worldly welfare, and
uniting in one line his rank and his fortune, your uncle still had
Evelyn's happiness at heart as his warmest wish; you must know that,
if that happiness were forfeited by a marriage with you, the marriage
became but a secondary consideration. Lord Vargrave's will in itself was
a proof of this. He did not impose as an absolute condition upon Evelyn
her union with yourself; he did not make the forfeiture of her whole
wealth the penalty of her rejection of that alliance. By the definite
limit of the forfeit, he intimated a distinction between a command and
a desire. And surely, when you consider all circumstances, your lordship
must think that, what with that forfeit and the estate settled upon the
title, your uncle did all that in a worldly point of view equity and
even affection could exact from him."

Vargrave smiled bitterly, but said nothing.

"And if this be doubted, I have clearer proof of his intentions. Such
was his confidence in Lady Vargrave, that in the letter he addressed to
her before his death, and which I now submit to your lordship, you
will observe that he not only expressly leaves it to Lady Vargrave's
discretion to communicate to Evelyn that history of which she is at
present ignorant, but that he also clearly defines the line of conduct
he wished to be adopted with respect to Evelyn and yourself. Permit me
to point out the passage."

Impatiently Lord Vargrave ran his eye over the letter placed in his
hand, till he came to these lines:--

"And if, when she has arrived at the proper age to form a judgment,
Evelyn should decide against Lumley's claims, you know that on no
account would I sacrifice her happiness; that all I require is, that
fair play be given to his pretensions, due indulgence to the scheme I
have long had at heart. Let her be brought up to consider him her future
husband; let her not be prejudiced against him; let her fairly judge for
herself, when the time arrives."

"You see, my lord," said Mr. Aubrey, as he took back the l