at me the
tears were in her stern eyes and a flush was on the ivory white of
her face, and her tone had that querulousness in it which we
associate with childhood which cannot have its own will.

"Madam," I said, gently, "you know that it is not possible for me
to do as you wish, and also that my days of gayeties are past,
though not to my regret, and that I am looking forward to an evening
with my books, which, when a man gets beyond his youth, yield him
often more pleasure than the society of his kind."

"But, Harry," she said piteously, and still like a child, "you are
young, and I would not have--" Then imperiously again: "Get into
thy plum-coloured velvet suit, Master Wingfield, and accompany my
granddaughters."

But then I affected not to hear her, under pretence of seeing that
the sedan chairs were ready, and hallooed to the slaves with such
zeal that Madam Cavendish's voice was drowned, though with no
seeming rudeness, and Mary and Catherine came forth in their
rustling spreads of blue and green, and the black bearers stood
grinning whitely out of the darkness, for the moon was not up yet,
and I aided them both into the chairs, and they were off. I stood a
few moments watching the retreating flare of flambeaux, for runners
carrying them were necessary on those rough roads when dark, and the
breath of the dewy spring night fanned my face like a wing of peace,
and I regretted nothing very much which had happened in this world,
so that I could come between that beloved girl and the troubles
starting up like poisonous weeds on her path.

But when I entered the hall Madam Cavendish, having sent away the
slaves, even to the little wench who had been fanning her, with
verily I believe no more of consciousness as to what was going on
about her than a Jimson weed by the highway, called me to her in a
voice so tremulous that I scarce knew it for hers.

"Harry, Harry," she said, "I pray thee, come here." Then, when I
approached, hesitating, for I had a shrinking before some outburst
of feminine earnestness, which has always intimidated me by its fire
of helplessness and futility playing against some resolve of mine
which I could not, on account of my masculine understanding of the
requirements of circumstances, allow to melt, she reached up one
hand like a little nervous claw of ivory, and caught me by the
sleeve and pulled me down to a stool by her side. Then she looked at
me, and such love and even adoration were