, Miles can only just make me hear."

Regret for his misfortune, and inquiry as to the chance of
restoration, were a possible topic. Mr. Charnock gave much advice
about aurists, and examples of their success or non-success; and
thence he diverged to the invalid-carriage he had secured, and his
future plans for expediting his daughter's recovery. Meanwhile Mrs.
Poynsett and Cecil sat grave, dry-eyed, and constrained, each
feeling that in Mr. Charnock's presence the interview was a nullity,
yet neither of them able to get rid of him, nor quite sure that she
would have done so if she could.

He, meanwhile, perfectly satisfied with his own considerate tact,
talked away the allotted half-hour, and then pronounced his daughter
pale and tired. She let him help her to rise, but held Mrs.
Poynsett's hand wistfully, as if she wished to say something but
could not; and all Mrs. Poynsett could bring out was a hope of
hearing how she bore the journey. It was as if they were both
frozen up. Yet the next moment Cecil was holding Frank's hand in a
convulsive clasp, and fairly pulling him down to exchange a kiss,
when he found her tears upon his cheek. Were they to his
misfortune, or to his much-increased resemblance to his brother?

Mr. Charnock kept guard over her, so that her other farewells were
almost as much restrained as these, and though she hung on
Rosamond's neck, and seemed ready to burst forth with some fervent
exclamation, he hovered by, saying, "My dear child, don't, don't
give way to agitation. It does you honour, but it cannot be
permitted at such a moment. Lady Rosamond, I appeal to your
unfailing good sense to restrain her emotion."

"I haven't any good sense, and I think it only hurts her to restrain
her emotion," said Rosamond, with one of her little stamps, pressing
Cecil in her arms. "There, there, my dear, cry,--never mind, if it
will comfort your poor heart."

"Lady Rosamond! This is--Cecil, my dear child! Your resolution--
your resignation. And the boxes are packed, and we shall be late
for the train!"

Mr. Charnock was a little jealous of Lady Rosamond as a comforter
preferred to himself, and he spoke in a tone which Cecil had never
resisted. She withdrew herself from Rosamond, still tearless,
though her chest heaved as if there were a great spasm in it; she
gave her hand to Miles, and let him lead her to the carriage; and so
Raymond's widowed bride left Compton Poynsett enfolded in that
s