were only for myself I should want nothing."

"I will do the best I can with Trevelyan."

"The best will be to make him, and every one, understand that the
fault is altogether his, and not Emily's."

"The best will be to make each think that there has been no real
fault," said Hugh.

"There should be no talking of faults," said Priscilla. "Let the
husband take his wife back,--as he is bound to do."

These words occupied hardly a minute in the saying, but during that
minute Hugh Stanbury held Nora by the hand. He held it fast. She
would not attempt to withdraw it, but neither would she return his
pressure by the muscle of a single finger. What right had he to press
her hand; or to make any sign of love, any pretence of loving, when
he had gone out of his way to tell her that she was not good enough
for him? Then he started, and Nora and Priscilla put on their hats
and left the house.

"Let us go to Niddon Park," said Nora.

"To Niddon Park again?"

"Yes; it is so beautiful! And I should like to see it by the morning
light. There is plenty of time."

So they walked to Niddon Park in the morning, as they had done on the
preceding evening. Their conversation at first regarded Trevelyan and
his wife, and the old trouble; but Nora could not keep herself from
speaking of Hugh Stanbury.

"He would not have come," she said, "unless Louis had sent him."

"He would not have come now, I think."

"Of course not;--why should he?--before Parliament was hardly over,
too? But he won't remain in town now,--will he?"

"He says somebody must remain,--and I think he will be in London till
near Christmas."

"How disagreeable! But I suppose he doesn't care. It's all the same
to a man like him. They don't shut the clubs up, I dare say. Will he
come here at Christmas?"

"Either then or for the New Year;--just for a day or two."

"We shall be gone then, I suppose?" said Nora.

"That must depend on Mr. Trevelyan," said Priscilla.

"What a life for two women to lead;--to depend upon the caprice of a
man who must be mad! Do you think that Mr. Trevelyan will care for
what your brother says to him?"

"I do not know Mr. Trevelyan."

"He is very fond of your brother, and I suppose men friends do listen
to each other. They never seem to listen to women. Don't you think
that, after all, they despise women? They look on them as dainty,
foolish things."

"Sometimes women despise men," said Priscilla.

"Not very often;--do the