Respectables.

Among them Fanny easily found, following the directions given to her,
the tomb she was searching after.

On it was written in English, "Sacred to the Memory of Lord Harry
Norland, second son of the Marquis of Malven." Then followed the date
and the age, and nothing more.

Fanny sat down on a bench and contemplated this mendacious stone.

"The Dane Oxbye," she said, "was growing better fast when I went away.
That was the reason why I was sent away. The very next day the doctor,
thinking me far away, poisoned him. I saw him do it. The nurse was told
that he was asleep, and being left alone presently discovered that he
was dead. She has been told that the sick man is a young Irish
gentleman. He is buried under the name of Lord Harry. That is the
reason I found the doctor alone. And my lady? Where is she?"

CHAPTER LVI

FANNY'S NARRATIVE

FANNY returned to London. Partly, the slenderness of her resources gave
her no choice; partly, she had learned all there was to learn, and
would do no good by staying longer at Passy.

She arrived with thirty shillings left out of Mr. Mountjoy's timely
gift. She sought a cheap lodging, and found a room, among people who
seemed respectable, which she could have for four-and-sixpence a week,
with board at a shilling a day. This settled, she hastened to Mr.
Mountjoy's hotel brimful of her news for Mrs. Vimpany.

Everyone knows the disappointment when the one person in the world whom
you want at the moment to see and to talk with proves to be out. Then
the news has to be suppressed; the conclusions, the suspicions, the
guesses have to be postponed; the active brain falls back upon itself.

This disappointment--almost as great as that at Berne--was experienced
by Fanny Mere at the hotel.

Mr. Mountjoy was no longer there.

The landlady of the hotel, who knew Fanny, came out herself and told
her what had happened.

"He was better," she said, "but still weak. They sent him down to
Scotland in Mrs. Vimpany's care. He was to travel by quick or slow
stages, just as he felt able. And I've got the address for you. Here it
is. Oh! and Mrs. Vimpany left a message. Will you, she says, when you
write, send the letter to her and not to him? She says, you know why."

Fanny returned to her lodging profoundly discouraged. She was filled
with this terrible secret that she had discovered. The only man who
could advise at this juncture was Mr. Mountjoy, and he was gone. And