s Dale. "I fear it is not
possible. It is too soon."

"Six months," pleaded the squire.

"It will take years,--not months," said Mrs Dale.

"And she will lose all her youth."

"Yes; he has done all that by his treachery. But it is done, and we
cannot now go back. She loves him yet as dearly as she ever loved
him."

Then the squire muttered certain words below his breath,--
ejaculations against Crosbie, which were hardly voluntary; but
even as involuntary ejaculations were very improper. Mrs Dale
heard them, and was not offended either by their impropriety or their
warmth. "But you can understand," she said, "that she cannot bring
herself to go there." The squire struck the table with his fist, and
repeated his ejaculations. If he could only have known how very
disagreeable Lady Alexandrina was making herself, his spirit might,
perhaps, have been less vehemently disturbed. If, also, he could have
perceived and understood the light in which an alliance with the de
Courcy family was now regarded by Crosbie, I think that he would have
received some consolation from that consideration. Those who offend
us are generally punished for the offence they give; but we so
frequently miss the satisfaction of knowing that we are avenged! It
is arranged, apparently, that the injurer shall be punished, but that
the person injured shall not gratify his desire for vengeance.

"And will you go to Guestwick yourself?" asked Mrs Dale.

"I will take the note," said the squire, "and will let you know
to-morrow. The earl has behaved so kindly that every possible
consideration is due to him. I had better tell him the whole truth,
and go or stay, as he may wish. I don't see the good of going. What
am I to do at Guestwick Manor? I did think that if we had all been
there it might have cured some difficulties."

Mrs Dale got up to leave him, but she could not go without saying
some word of gratitude for all that he had attempted to do for
them. She well knew what he meant by the curing of difficulties.
He had intended to signify that had they lived together for a week
at Guestwick the idea of flitting from Allington might possibly
have been abandoned. It seemed now to Mrs Dale as though her
brother-in-law were heaping coals of fire on her head in return for
that intention. She felt half-ashamed of what she was doing, almost
acknowledging to herself that she should have borne with his
sternness in return for the benefits he had done to her