s. "Perhaps I am a fool," she
said.

"Only I know you are not. But I am not at all so sure as to your
being no hypocrite. The person I mean is a gentleman, of course. Why
don't you show a little excitement, at any rate? When Plantagenet
told me, just before dinner, I almost jumped out of my shoes. He was
going to tell you himself after dinner, in the politest way in the
world, no doubt, and just as the servants were carrying away the
apples. I thought it best to save you from that; but, I declare, I
believe I might have left him to do it; it would have had no effect
upon you. Who is it that has come, do you suppose?"

"Of course I know now," said Alice, very calmly, "that Mr John Grey
has come."

"Yes, Mr John Grey has come. He is here in this house at this
minute;--or, more probably, waiting outside by the lake till he shall
see a light in your bedroom." Then Lady Glencora paused for a moment,
waiting that Alice might say something. But Alice said nothing.
"Well?" said Lady Glencora, rising up from her chair. "Well?"

"Well?" said Alice.

"Have you nothing to say? Is it the same to you as though Mr Smith
had come?"

"No; not exactly the same. I am quite alive to the importance of Mr
Grey's arrival, and shall probably lie awake all night thinking about
it,--if it will do you any good to know that; but I don't feel that I
have much to say about it."

"I wish I had let Mr Palliser tell you, in an ordinary way, before
all the servants. I do indeed."

"It would not have made much difference."

"Not the least, I believe. I wonder whether you ever did care for
anybody in your life,--for him, or for that other one, or for
anybody. For nobody, I believe;--except your cousin Kate. Still
waters, they say, run deep; and sometimes I think your waters run
too deep for me to fathom. I suppose I may go now, if you have got
nothing more to say?"

"What do you want me to say? Of course I know why he has come here.
He told me he should come."

"And you have never said a word about it."

"He told me he should come, and I thought it better not to say a word
about it. He might change his mind, or anything might happen. I told
him not to come; and it would have been much better that he should
have remained away."

"Why;--why;--why would it be better?"

"Because his being here will do no good to any one."

"No good! It seems to me impossible but that it should do all the
good in the world. Look here, Alice. If you do not