her mind, and damped her spirits, and though she smiled, and
talked, and admired, and danced lightly and gaily, there was a sensation
of weariness throughout, and no one but Eveleen was sorry when Mrs.
Edmonstone sent Maurice to see for the carriage.

Philip was one of the gentlemen who came to shawl them. As he put
Laura's cloak round her shoulders he was able to whisper, 'Take care;
you must be cautious--self-command.'

Laura, though blushing and shrinking the moment before was braced by his
words and tone to attempt all he wished. She looked up in what she meant
to be an indifferent manner, and made some observation in a careless
tone--anything rather than let Philip think her silly. After what he had
said, was she not bound more than ever to exert herself to the utmost,
that he might not be disappointed in her? She loved him only the better
for what others might have deemed a stern coldness of manner, for it
made the contrast of his real warmth of affection more precious. She
mused over it, as much as her companions' conversation would allow, on
the road home. They arrived, Mrs. Edmonstone peeped into Charles's room,
announced that he was quietly asleep, and they all bade each other good
night, or good morning, and parted.

CHAPTER 10

Leonora. Yet often with respect he speaks of thee.
Tasso. Thou meanest with forbearance, prudent, subtle,
'Tis that annoys me, for he knows to use
Language so smooth and so conditional,
That seeming praise from him is actual blame.
--GOETHE'S Tasso

When the Hollywell party met at breakfast, Charles showed himself by no
means the worse for his yesterday's experiment. He said he had gone to
sleep in reasonable time, lulled by some poetry, he knew not what, of
which Guy's voice had made very pretty music, and he was now full of
talk about the amusement he had enjoyed yesterday, which seemed likely
to afford food for conversation for many a week to come. After all the
care Guy had taken of him, Mrs. Edmonstone could not find it in her
heart to scold, and her husband, having spent his vexation upon her, had
none left to bestow on the real culprit. So when Guy, with his bright
morning face, and his hair hanging shining and wet round it, opened
the dining-room door, on his return from bathing in the river, Mr.
Edmonstone's salutation only conveyed that humorous anger that no o