metropolis will henceforth be hateful
to me, and I shall fly from it as speedily as possible. I feel that I
cannot live in it after that hope is at an end. I shall apply for a
commission in the army, and seek what fate may send me in some more
active life; but before I go, probably this very night, if you will
give me shelter, I will seek you and the Lady Helen, to both of whom
I have much, very much to say. I shall find you at Lord Sherbrooke's
cottage, where I last saw you? There I will explain everything. And
now farewell."
Thus saying, he shook Green's hand, mounted his horse, and at a very
rapid pace spurred on towards London by all the shortest roads that
he could discover.

CHAPTER XLV.
The Duke's dinner in the Tower was over. He had been much agitated
all day, and Laura had been agitated also, but she had concealed her
emotions, in order not to increase those of her father. It was, as we
have said, Sunday, and the service of the church had occupied some
part of that long day's passing; but the rest had gone by very
slowly, especially as the only two events which occurred to break or
diversify the time told that there were other persons busy without,
in matters regarding which neither Laura nor her father could take
the slightest part, but which affected the future fate of both in the
highest degree. Those two incidents were the arrival of Wilton's note,
which we have already mentioned, and a visit from the chaplain of the
Tower, to tell the Duke and Lady Laura that he had received directions
and the proper authorization (few of those things were needed,
indeed, in those days) to perform the ceremony of marriage between
her and Wilton at any hour that she chose to name. A considerable
time passed after this visit, and yet Wilton did not appear. The Duke
began to look towards Laura with anxious eyes, and once he said, "I
hope, Laura, you neither did nor said anything yesterday to make
Wilton act coldly or unwillingly in this business?"
"Indeed, my dear father, I did not," replied Lady Laura, "and he
promised me firmly to do everything in his power. Something has
detained him; but depend upon it there is no cause either to fear or
to doubt."
Such assurances, for a time, seemed to soothe the Duke, and put his
mind more at ease; but as time passed, and still Wilton did not
appear, his anxiety returned again; he would walk up and down the
room; he would gaze out of the window; he would east himself into a
chair with a deep sigh; and though he sai