id love, but whom he had so injured, that, under no
circumstances, could he be allowed to speak to her again. The
attorney there,--who sat opposite to him, talking about his thousands
of pounds with that disgusting assumed solicitude which such men put
on, when they know very well what they are doing,--had made a similar
marriage. But he had known what he was about. He had got from his
marriage all that he had expected. But what had Crosbie got?

"They're a bad set,--a bad set," said he in his bitterness.

"The men are," said Gazebee, very comfortably.

"H-m," said Crosbie. It was manifest to Gazebee that his friend was
expressing a feeling that the women, also, were not all that they
should be, but he took no offence, though some portion of the censure
might thereby be supposed to attach to his own wife.

"The countess means well," said Gazebee. "But she's had a hard life
of it,--a very hard life. I've heard him call her names that would
frighten a coal-heaver. I have, indeed. But he'll die soon, and then
she'll be comfortable. She has three thousand a year jointure."

He'll die soon, and then she'll be comfortable! That was one phase of
married life. As Crosbie's mind dwelt upon the words, he remembered
Lily's promise made in the fields, that she would do everything for
him. He remembered her kisses; the touch of her fingers; the low
silvery laughing voice; the feel of her dress as she would press
close to him. After that he reflected whether it would not be well
that he too should die, so that Alexandrina might be comfortable. She
and her mother might be very comfortable together, with plenty of
money, at Baden-Baden!

The squire at Allington, and Mrs Dale, and Lady Julia De Guest, had
been, and still were, uneasy in their minds because no punishment had
fallen upon Crosbie,--no vengeance had overtaken him in consequence
of his great sin. How little did they know about it! Could he have
been prosecuted and put into prison, with hard labour, for twelve
months, the punishment would not have been heavier. He would, in that
case, at any rate, have been saved from Lady Alexandrina.

"George and his wife are coming up to town; couldn't we ask them to
come to us for a week or so?" said his wife to him, as soon as they
were in the fly together, going home.

"No," shouted Crosbie; "we will do no such thing." There was not
another word said on the subject,--nor on any other subject till they
got home. When they reache