eaven, and his own
singular intellect, can alone divine."

"I must confess," said Flora, "I should not at all have thought this of
Varney. It seems to me as if something new must have occurred to him.
Altogether, I do not feel any alarm concerning his actions as regards
us. I am convinced of his sincerity, and, therefore, do not view with
sensations of uneasiness this new circumstance, which appears at present
so inexplicable, but for which we may yet get some explanation that will
be satisfactory to us all."

"I cannot conceive," said Henry, "what new circumstances could have
occurred to produce this effect upon Varney. Things remain just as they
were; and, after all, situated as he is, if any change had taken place
in matters out of doors, I do not see how he could become acquainted
with them, so that his leaving must have been a matter of mere
calculation, or of impulse at the moment--Heaven knows which--but can
have nothing to do with actual information, because it is quite evident
he could not get it."

"It is rather strange," said Charles Holland, "that just as we were
speculating upon the probability of his doing something of this sort, he
should suddenly do it, and in this singular manner too."

"Oh," said the old admiral, "I told you I saw his eye, that was enough
for me. I knew he would do something, as well as I know a mainmast from
a chain cable. He can't help it; it's in the nature of the beast, and
that's all you can say about it."

CHAPTER XCII.

THE MISADVENTURE OF THE DOCTOR WITH THE PICTURE.

The situation of Dr. Chillingworth and Jack Pringle was not of that
character that permitted much conversation or even congratulation. They
were victors it was true, and yet they had but little to boast of
besides the victory.

Victory is a great thing; it is like a gilded coat, it bewilders and
dazzles. Nobody can say much when you are victorious. What a sound! and
yet how much misery is there not hidden beneath it.

This victory of the worthy doctor and his aid amounted to this, they
were as they were before, without being any better, but much the worse,
seeing they were so much buffetted that they could hardly speak, but sat
for some moments opposite to each other, gasping for breath, and staring
each other in the face without speaking.

The moonlight came in through the window and fell upon the floor, and
there were no sounds that came to disturb the stillness of the scene,
nor any object