obdurate,--even though it should be to the very gates of
the grave. "I swear to you," she said, "that the day of your marriage
to Daniel Thwaite shall be the day of my death."

In her straits she went to Serjeant Bluestone for advice. Now, the
Serjeant had hitherto been opposed to all compromise, feeling certain
that everything might be gained without the sacrifice of a single
right. He had not a word to say against a marriage between the two
cousins, but let the cousin who was the heiress be first placed in
possession of her rights. Let her be empowered, when she consented
to become Lady Lovel, to demand such a settlement of the property as
would be made on her behalf if she were the undisputed owner of the
property. Let her marry the lord if she would, but not do so in order
that she might obtain the partial enjoyment of that which was all her
own. And then, so the Serjeant had argued, the widowed Countess would
never be held to have established absolutely her own right to her
name, should any compromise be known to have been effected. People
might call her Countess Lovel; but, behind her back, they would say
that she was no countess. The Serjeant had been very hot about it,
especially disliking the interference of Sir William. But now, when
he heard this new story, his heat gave way. Anything must be done
that could be done;--everything must be done to prevent such a
termination to the career of the two ladies as would come from a
marriage with the tailor.

But he was somewhat dismayed when he came to understand the condition
of affairs in Keppel Street. "How can I not be severe?" said the
Countess, when he remonstrated with her. "If I were tender with
her she would think that I was yielding. Is not everything at
stake,--everything for which my life has been devoted?" The Serjeant
called his wife into council, and then suggested that Lady Anna
should spend a week or two in Bedford Square. He assured the Countess
that she might be quite sure that Daniel Thwaite should find no
entrance within his doors.

"But if Lord Lovel would do us the honour to visit us, we should be
most happy to see him," said the Serjeant.

Lady Anna was removed to Bedford Square, and there became subject to
treatment that was milder, but not less persistent. Mrs. Bluestone
lectured her daily, treating her with the utmost respect, paying to
her rank a deference, which was not indeed natural to the good lady,
but which was assumed, so that