n of light and air. His bright spirit and gladness of
life refreshed her heart and brain; the respect he paid her revived her
crushed self-confidence and filled her soul with fervent gratitude. Ah!
and how delightful it was to feel that she might be grateful, devotedly
grateful.--And then, then this evening had been hers, the sweetest, most
blessed that she had known for years. He had reminded her of what she
had almost forgotten: that she was still young, that she was
still lovely, that she had a right to be happy, to enchant and be
enchanted--perhaps even to love and to be loved.

Her hand was still conscious of his burning kiss as she entered the
cool room where the Lady Neforis sat awaiting the return of the party,
turning her spinning-wheel by the couch of her invalid husband who
always went to rest at late hours. It was with an overflowing heart that
Paula raised her uncle's hand to her lips--Orion's father, might she not
say HER Orion's?--Then she kissed her aunt--his mother, and it was
long since she had done so--as she and little Mary bid her good-night.
Neforis accepted the kiss coolly but with some surprise, and looked
up enquiringly at the girl and at her son. No doubt she thought many
things, but deemed it prudent to give them no utterance for the present.
She allowed the girl to retire as though nothing unusual had occurred,
superintended the servants who came to carry her husband into his
bedroom, gave him the white globule which was to secure him sleep, and
with indefatigable patience turned and moved his pillows till his
couch was to his mind. Not till then, nor till she was satisfied that a
servant was keeping watch in the adjoining room, did she leave him; and
then--for there was danger in delay--she went to seek her son.

This tall, large and rather too portly woman had been in her youth
a slender and elegant girl; a graceful creature though her calm and
expressionless features had never been strikingly beautiful. Age had
altered them but little; her face was now that of a good-looking, plump,
easy-going matron, which had lost its freshness through long and devoted
attendance on the sick man. Her birth and position gave her confidence
and self-reliance, but there was nothing gracious or captivating in
her individuality. The joys and woes of others were not hers; still she
could be moved and stirred by them, even to self-denial, and was very
capable of feeling quite a passionate interest for others; o