"I must confess that what I then
understood to be your obstinacy,--and I must say also, if I tell the
truth, your indifference to--to--to all prudential considerations
whatever, not to talk of appearances and decorum, and I might say,
anything like a high line of duty or moral conduct,--shocked me
very much. It did, indeed, my dear. Taking it altogether, I don't
know that I was ever more shocked in my life. The thing was so
inscrutable!" Here Lady Midlothian held up one hand in a manner that
was truly imposing; "so inscrutable! But that is all over now. What
was personally offensive to myself I could easily forgive, and I do
forgive it. I shall never think of it any more." Here Lady Midlothian
put up both her hands gently, as though wafting the injury away into
the air. "But what I wish specially to say to you is this; your own
conduct is forgiven also!" Here she paused again, and Alice winced.
Who was this dreadful old Countess;--what was the Countess to her,
that she should be thus tormented with the old woman's forgiveness?
John Grey had forgiven her, and of external forgiveness that was
enough. She had not forgiven herself,--would never forgive herself
altogether; and the pardon of no old woman in England could assist
her in doing so. She had sinned, but she had not sinned against Lady
Midlothian. "Let her jump upon you, and have done with it," Lady
Glencora had said. She had resolved that it should be so, but it was
very hard to keep her resolution.

"The Marchioness and I have talked it over," continued Lady
Midlothian, "and she has asked me to speak for both her and myself."
There is comfort at any rate in that, thought Alice, who had never
yet seen the Marchioness. "We have resolved that all those little
mistakes should be as though they had never been committed. We shall
both be most happy to receive you and your husband, who is, I must
say, one of the most gentlemanlike looking men I ever saw. It seems
that he and Mr Palliser are on most friendly,--I may say, most
confidential terms, and that must be quite a pleasure to you."

"It's a pleasure to him, which is more to the purpose," said Alice.

"Exactly so. And now, my dear, everything is forgiven and shall be
forgotten. Come and give me a kiss, and let me wish you joy." Alice
did as she was bidden, and accepted the kiss and the congratulations,
and a little box of jewellery which Lady Midlothian produced from out
of her pocket. "The diamonds are from the