emy's
weapons had repeatedly struck her, but hitherto they had alighted on
the strong shield of her faith. But let a shield be never so strong,
it may at last be battered out of all form and service. On Lucy's
shield there had been much of such batterings, and the blows which
had come from him in whom she most trusted had not been the lightest.
She had not seen him for months, and his letters were short,
unsatisfactory, and rare. She had declared to herself and to her
friend Lady Fawn, that no concurrence of circumstances, no absence,
however long, no rumours that might reach her ears, would make
her doubt the man she loved. She was still steadfast in the same
resolution; but in spite of her resolution her heart began to fail
her. She became weary, unhappy, and ill at ease, and though she would
never acknowledge to herself that she doubted, she did doubt.

"So, after all, your Mr. Greystock is to marry my niece, Lizzie
Greystock." This good-natured speech was made one morning to poor
Lucy by her present patroness, Lady Linlithgow.

"I rather think not," said Lucy plucking up her spirits and smiling
as she spoke.

"Everybody says so. As for Lizzie, she has become quite a heroine.
What with her necklace, and her two robberies, and her hunting,
and her various lovers,--two lords and a member of Parliament, my
dear,--there is nothing to equal her. Lady Glencora Palliser has been
calling on her. She took care to let me know that. And I'm now told
that she certainly is engaged to her cousin."

"According to your own showing, Lady Linlithgow, she has got two
other lovers. Couldn't you oblige me by letting her marry one of the
lords?"

"I'm afraid, my dear, that Mr. Greystock is to be the chosen one."
Then after a pause the old woman became serious. "What is the use,
Miss Morris, of not looking the truth in the face? Mr. Greystock is
neglecting you."

"He is not neglecting me. You won't let him come to see me."

"Certainly not;--but if he were not neglecting you, you would not be
here. And there he is with Lizzie Eustace every day of his life. He
can't afford to marry you, and he can afford to marry her. It's a
deal better that you should look it all in the face and know what it
must all come to."

"I shall just wait,--and never believe a word till he speaks it."

"You hardly know what men are, my dear."

"Very likely not, Lady Linlithgow. It may be that I shall have to
pay dear for learning. Of course, I may be m