down at
her from their picture frames sometimes made her heart beat as if she
stood in the presence of things eerie. Their strange, rich, ugly, or
beautiful garments, their stolid or fervid, ugly or beautiful, faces,
seemed to demand something of her; at least she had just enough
imagination to feel somewhat as if they did. Walderhurst was very kind
to her, but she was afraid she might bore him by the exceeding ignorance
of her questions about people whom he had known from his childhood as
his own kith and kin. It was not unlikely that one might have become so
familiar with a man in armour or a woman in a farthingale that questions
connected with them might seem silly. Persons whose ancestors had always
gazed intimately at them from walls might not unnaturally forget that
there were other people to whom they might wear only the far-away aspect
of numbers in catalogues of the Academy, or exhibitions of that order.

There was a very interesting catalogue of the Palstrey pictures, and
Emily found and studied it with deep interest. She cherished a touching
secret desire to know what might be discoverable concerning the women
who had been Marchionesses of Walderhurst before. None of them but
herself, she gathered, had come to their husbands from bed-sitting rooms
in obscure streets. There had been noble Hyrsts in the reign of Henry
I., and the period since then elapsed had afforded time for numerous
bridals. Lady Walderhurst was overcome at moments by her reflections
upon what lay behind and before her, but not being a complex person or
of fervid imagination, she was spared by nature the fevers of complex
emotions.

In fact, after a few weeks had passed she came out of her dream and
found her happiness enduring and endurable. Each day's awakening was a
delight to her, and would probably be so to the end of her existence,
absolutely because she was so sane and uncomplex a creature. To be
deftly assisted in her dressing by Jane Cupp, and to know that each
morning she might be fittingly and becomingly attired without anxiety as
to where her next gown was to come from, was a lovely thing. To enjoy
the silent, perfect workings of the great household, to drive herself or
be driven, to walk and read, to loiter through walled gardens and
hothouses at will,--such things to a healthy woman with an unobscured
power of enjoyment were luxuries which could not pall.

Walderhust found her an actual addition to his comfort. She was never