tolove
and
help
Edward
returned
to
her
memory
again
and
again
,
and
each
time
with
the
increased
determination
to
keep
it
solemnly
.
It
was
not
for
her
mother
's
sake
alone
,
and
connected
only
with
her
;
perhaps
,
had
it
not
been
for
the
careful
instructions
of
her
father
,
whom
,
as
we
shall
presently
see
,
she
had
cause
almost
to
idolize
,
Ellen
might
have
become
indifferent
to
her
mother
and
envious
of
Edward
.
But
his
repeated
instructions
,
under
all
circumstances
to
love
,
cherish
,
and
obey
her
mother
had
been
indelibly
engraved
,
and
heightened
natural
feeling
.
She
believed
that
to
keep
the
promise
,
which
had
so
evidently
pleased
her
mother
,
would
be
also
obeying
her
father
,
and
this
double
incentive
gave
it
a
weight
and
consequence
,
which
,
could
Mrs.
Hamilton
have
known
it
,
would
have
caused
her
great
anxiety
,
and
urged
its
removal
.
But
Ellen
had
been
too
long
accustomed
to
hide
every
thought
and
feeling
to
betray
that
which
,
child
as
she
was
,
she
believed
sacred
between
herself
and
her
mother
.
Mrs.
Hamilton
watched
her
in
silence
,
and
trusted
to
time
and
care
to
do
their
work
;
and
by
enabling
her
to
understand
her
character
,
permit
her
to
guide
it
rightly
.
The
morning
of
their
intended
departure
was
bright
and
sunny
,
and
before
even
widow
Morgan
was
moving
,
Ellen
had
quitted
her
little
bed
and
was
in
the
churchyard
by
her
mother
's
grave
.
She
sat
there
thinking
so
intently
,
that
she
did
not
know
how
time
passed
,
till
she
was
roused
by
her
favorite
Arthur
Myrvin
's
voice
.
"
Up
so
early
,
Ellen
,
why
,
I
thought
I
should
have
been
first
,
to
show
you
I
had
not
forgotten
my
promise
.
"
And
he
displayed
some
choice
flower-roots
,
which
he
commenced
planting
round
the
grave
.
"
Dear
Arthur
,
how
very
kind
you
are
;
but
you
look
so
sad
—
what
is
the
matter
?
Does
not
Mr.
Myrvin
like
you
to
do
this
—
pray
do
n't
,
then
.
"
"
No
,
no
,
Ellen
,
my
father
said
I
was
right
,
and
that
he
would
take
care
of
the
flowers
also
himself
.
I
am
only
sorry
you
are
going
away
,
and
to
live
so
differently
to
what
we
do
—
you
will
quite
forget
me
.
"
"
Indeed
,
indeed
I
shall
not
,
dear
Arthur
;
I
can
never
forget
those
who
have
been
so
kind
to
me
as
you
and
dear
Mr.
Myrvin
.
I
would
much
rather
stay
here
always
with
you
,
than
go
among
strangers
again
,
but
I
heard
my
aunt
say
last
night
,
that
perhaps
Mr.
Myrvin
would
let
you
come
and
see
us
sometimes
—
and
you
will
like
that
,
will
you
not
?
"
Arthur
did
not
seem
quite
sure
whether
he
would
like
it
or
not
;
but
they
continued
talking
till
his
task
was
completed
,
and
Arthur
,
at
Ellen
's
earnest
request
,
for
she
suddenly
feared
her
aunt
would
be
displeased
at
her
having
staid
out
so
long
,
returned
with
her
to
the
cottage
;
the
silent
kiss
,
however
,
which
she
received
,
when
Arthur
explained
what
had
detained
them
,
reassured
her
,
and
bound
her
yet
closer
to
the
kind
relative
,
whom
,
if
timidity
had
permitted
,
she
would
already
have
so
loved
.
The
novelty
of
his
situation
,
the
rapid
and
pleasant
movement
of
his
uncle
's
carriage
,
the
idea
of
the
new
relations
he
was
about
to
meet
,
and
an
unconfessed
but
powerful
feeling
of
his
own
increased
consequence
in
being
so
nearly
connected
with
wealth
and
distinction
,
all
had
their
effect
upon
Edward
,
and
his
eye
sparkled
and
his
cheek
glowed
,
as
if
all
sorrow
had
entirely
passed
away
;
not
that
he
had
ceased
to
think
of
his
mother
,
for
the
least
reference
to
her
would
fill
his
eyes
with
tears
and
completely
check
his
joy
—
but
still
delight
predominated
.
Ellen
felt
more
and
more
the
wish
to
shrink
into
her
self
,
for
the
farther
they
left
Llangwillan
,
the
more
painfully
she
missed
Mr.
Myrvin
and
his
son
,
and
the
more
she
shrunk
from
encountering
strangers
.
Edward
she
knew
would
speedily
find
companions
to
love
,
and
to
be
loved
by
,
and
he
would
think
still
less
of
her
.
Her
aunt
would
soon
be
surrounded
by
her
own
children
,
and
then
how
could
she
expect
to
win
her
love
?
And
Ellen
looked
intently
and
silently
out
from
the
carriage-window
—
her
uncle
believed
on
the
many-flowered
hedge
and
other
objects
of
interest
by
which
they
passed
—
his
wife
imagined
to
hide
a
tear
that
trembled
in
her
eyes
,
but
which
she
had
determined
should
not
fall
.
CHAPTER
III
.
RETROSPECTION
.
—
THE
LOWLY
SOUGHT
.
—
THE
HAUGHTY
FOILED
.
In
order
clearly
to
understand
the
allusions
of
the
previous
chapters
,
and
the
circumstances
which
had
formed
the
different
characters
of
Mrs.
Hamilton
and
Mrs.
Fortescue
,
it
will
be
necessary
to
take
a
retrospective
glance
on
their
early
lives
.
Should
it
be
uninteresting
to
the
more
youthful
of
our
readers
,
we
will
beg
them
to
proceed
at
once
to
"
Traits
of
Character
,
"
but
to
their
elder
relatives
,
we
hope
the
matter
will
prove
of
sufficient
interest
to
obtain
perusal
.
Emmeline
and
Eleanor
Manvers
were
the
daughters
of
Lord
Delmont
,
a
nobleman
whose
title
and
rank
were
rather
burdensome
than
otherwise
,
from
the
want
of
sufficient
means
to
keep
them
up
as
inclination
and
position
warranted
.
Lady
Delmont
,
whose
energetic
yet
gentle
character
would
have
greatly
ameliorated
the
petty
vexations
of
her
husband
,
died
when
Emmeline
was
only
seven
,
Eleanor
five
,
and
Charles
,
her
only
boy
an
infant
of
but
three
years
old
.
A
widow
lady
,
Mrs.
Harcourt
by
name
,
had
been
selected
by
Lady
Delmont
,
in
her
last
illness
,
as
instructress
and
guardian
of
her
daughters
.
Her
wishes
,
always
laws
to
her
doating
husband
,
were
promptly
fulfilled
,
and
Mrs.
Harcourt
,
two
months
after
her
friend
's
death
,
assumed
the
arduous
and
responsible
duties
for
which
her
high
character
well
fitted
her
.
With
Emmeline
,
though
there
were
naturally
some
faults
to
correct
,
an
indolence
and
weakness
to
overcome
,
and
apparently
no
remarkable
natural
aptitude
for
acquirement
,
her
task
was
comparatively
easy
,
for
her
pupil
had
the
capabilities
,
not
only
of
affection
but
of
reverence
,
to
a
very
great
extent
,
and
once
loving
and
respecting
Mrs.
Harcourt
,
not
a
command
was
neglected
nor
a
wish
unfulfilled
.
Eleanor
,
on
the
contrary
,
though
so
gifted
that
teaching
might
have
been
a
complete
labor
of
love
—
by
self-will
,
violent
passions
,
and
a
most
determined
want
of
veneration
,
even
,
of
common
respect
,
a
resolute
opposition
from
her
earliest
years
to
the
wishes
of
Mrs.
Harcourt
,
because
she
was
merely
a
governess
,
so
much
her
inferior
in
rank
,
rendered
the
task
of
education
one
of
the
most
difficult
and
painful
that
can
be
conceived
—
increased
from
the
injudicious
partiality
of
Lord
Delmont
.
It
was
not
indeed
the
culpable
negligence
and
dislike
which
Eleanor
afterward
displayed
toward
her
own
,
but
originating
in
the
fancy
that
Mrs.
Harcourt
was
unjust
,
and
Emmeline
was
her
favorite
.
Lord
Delmont
was
one
of
those
unfortunately
weak
,
irresolute
characters
,
that
only
behold
the
surface
of
things
,
and
are
therefore
utterly
incapable
of
acting
either
with
vigor
or
judgment
.
When
he
did
venture
into
the
precincts
of
his
daughters
'
apartments
,
he
generally
found
Eleanor
in
sobs
and
tears
,
and
Emmeline
quietly
pursuing
her
daily
duties
.
That
Mrs.
Harcourt
often
entreated
his
influence
with
her
younger
pupil
,
to
change
her
course
of
conduct
,
he
never
remembered
longer
than
the
time
her
expostulations
lasted
.
Once
or
twice
indeed
he
did
begin
to
speak
seriously
,
but
Eleanor
would
throw
her
arms
round
his
neck
and
kiss
him
,
call
him
every
endearing
name
,
and
beg
him
not
to
look
so
much
like
grave
,
cross
Mrs.
Harcourt
,
or
she
should
think
she
had
indeed
no
one
to
love
her
;
and
her
beautiful
eyes
would
swell
with
tears
,
and
her
voice
quiver
,
so
that
her
gratified
father
would
forget
all
his
reproof
,
and
give
her
some
indulgence
to
make
up
for
the
injustice
and
harshness
she
encountered
in
the
school-room
.
Her
power
once
thus
experienced
,
of
course
,
was
never
resigned
.
Her
father
's
appearance
in
their
study
was
always
the
signal
for
her
tears
,
which
she
knew
would
confirm
all
his
ideas
of
Mrs.
Harcourt
's
unjust
partiality
.
And
this
idea
was
strengthened
as
they
grew
older
,
and
masters
for
various
accomplishments
somewhat
lightened
Mrs.
Harcourt
's
actual
labors
.
Emmeline
's
steady
application
,
and
moderate
abilities
were
lost
sight
of
in
the
applause
always
elicited
by
her
younger
sister
;
whose
natural
gifts
alike
in
music
,
languages
,
and
drawing
had
full
play
,
directly
she
was
released
,
even
in
part
,
from
the
hated
thralldom
of
her
governess
.
—
Lord
Delmont
had
been
accustomed
to
hear
Eleanor
's
beauty
extolled
,
and
now
the
extraordinary
versatility
and
brilliancy
of
her
talents
became
the
theme
of
every
tongue
.
Professors
are
naturally
proud
of
a
pupil
who
does
them
more
than
justice
,
and
Miss
Eleanor
Manvers
was
in
consequence
held
up
in
very
many
families
,
whom
Lord
Delmont
only
casually
knew
,
and
spoken
of
by
very
many
again
to
him
,
knowing
his
weak
point
,
and
thus
seeking
to
curry
favor
.
Mrs.
Harcourt
was
the
only
one
from
whom
he
never
heard
Eleanor
's
praises
,
and
the
only
one
,
who
spoke
in
praise
of
Emmeline
.
It
must
then
be
willful
blindness
on
her
part
;
and
the
father
felt
indignant
,
but
in
spite
of
himself
had
too
much
real
respect
for
her
,
individually
,
to
do
more
than
redouble
his
indulgence
to
Eleanor
.
Emmeline
could
not
complain
of
her
father
's
neglect
,
for
he
was
both
kind
and
affectionate
to
her
;
but
she
did
sometimes
wish
she
could
be
quite
sure
that
he
loved
her
as
much
as
her
sister
;
and
her
deep
affections
,
unsuspected
by
her
father
,
rejected
and
laughed
at
by
Eleanor
,
twined
themselves
closer
and
closer
round
Mrs.
Harcourt
,
and
her
brother
Charles
,
on
whom
she
actually
doted
,
and
who
returned
her
affection
with
one
quite
as
fond
and
warm
as
a
happy
,
laughter-loving
,
frank-hearted
boy
had
it
in
his
power
to
bestow
;
yet
even
his
holidays
were
times
of
as
much
suffering
as
joy
to
his
sister
,
from
the
violent
quarrels
which
were
continually
taking
place
between
him
and
Eleanor
.
Emmeline
,
happy
in
herself
and
Mrs.
Harcourt
's
companionship
,
could
endure
Eleanor
's
determined
supremacy
,
and
,
except
where
her
conscience
disapproved
,
yielded
to
her
.
But
this
could
not
be
expected
from
Charles
,
who
,
despite
his
elder
sister
's
gentle
entreaties
,
would
stand
up
for
what
he
called
her
rights
,
and
declare
that
,
when
he
was
at
home
,
Miss
Eleanor
should
not
lord
it
over
the
whole
family
.
Eleanor
would
of
course
quarrel
first
with
him
and
then
appeal
to
her
father
,
who
without
hearing
the
case
would
give
her
right
,
and
harshly
condemn
Charles
,
whose
high
spirit
revolted
;
and
unable
to
bear
with
his
father
's
weakness
of
character
,
as
he
ought
to
have
done
,
would
answer
disrespectfully
;
and
words
succeeded
words
till
Charles
in
a
desperate
passion
would
seek
Emmeline
's
chamber
,
and
his
father
,
though
he
actually
deeply
loved
and
was
very
proud
of
his
son
,
wished
that
the
holidays
were
over
,
and
Charles
safe
again
at
school
.
Trifling
as
domestic
disputes
may
seem
in
description
,
they
never
fail
in
their
painful
reality
to
banish
all
lasting
happiness
.
Emmeline
could
bear
that
her
father
should
prefer
Eleanor
to
herself
,
but
that
he
should
be
unjust
to
her
darling
Charles
,
and
that
Charles
should
increase
this
evil
by
dispute
and
self-will
,
tried
her
severely
,
and
obliged
her
often
and
often
to
fly
to
the
solitude
of
her
own
chamber
,
lest
her
temper
also
should
fail
,
and
,
to
defend
her
brother
,
she
should
forget
her
duty
to
her
father
.
But
with
her
,
Mrs.
Harcourt
's
lessons
had
indeed
been
blessed
.
The
spirit
of
true
,
heartfelt
piety
,
which
she
had
sought
to
instill
into
her
youthful
charge
,
even
more
by
the
example
of
her
daily
life
than
by
precepts
,
had
become
Emmeline
's
,
young
as
she
still
was
,
and
enabled
her
not
only
to
bear
up
against
the
constant
petty
annoyances
of
her
home
,
but
the
heavy
trial
sustained
in
the
death
of
Mrs.
Harcourt
,
just
as
she
was
looking
forward
to
her
entrance
into
the
gay
world
,
under
her
maternal
guardianship
,
and
her
parting
with
her
brother
,
who
,
not
two
months
afterward
,
left
her
to
fulfill
his
darling
wish
of
going
to
sea
.
At
eighteen
,
then
,
Emmeline
Manvers
became
the
mistress
of
her
father
's
establishment
,
and
had
to
encounter
alone
,
not
only
the
suffering
of
bereavement
—
in
which
,
though
Lord
Delmont
sincerely
respected
Mrs.
Harcourt
,
he
could
not
sympathize
,
and
at
which
,
after
the
first
shock
and
momentary
remorse
for
her
own
conduct
to
so
true
a
friend
,
Eleanor
,
if
she
did
not
actually
rejoice
,
felt
so
very
greatly
relieved
as
to
be
irritated
and
angry
at
Emmeline
's
quiet
sorrow
—
but
the
separation
from
her
brother
and
all
the
cares
and
disagreeables
of
such
strict
economy
at
home
,
as
would
permit
the
sustaining
a
proper
position
in
society
,
so
that
the
necessity
of
economy
should
not
even
be
suspected
.
It
was
this
regard
of
appearances
which
so
chafed
and
pained
Emmeline
's
upright
and
independent
spirit
.
Not
that
Lord
Delmont
,
even
for
appearances
,
would
go
beyond
his
income
;
but
still
there
were
obliged
concealments
and
other
petty
things
which
his
daughter
could
not
bear
.
Mrs.
Harcourt
's
trial
—
a
widow
,
compelled
not
only
to
teach
for
a
subsistence
,
but
to
part
with
her
only
child
,
who
had
been
adopted
by
a
married
sister
,
living
in
Italy
—
appeared
to
Emmeline
's
ideas
of
truth
and
honor
preferable
to
appearing
richer
than
they
really
were
.
But
on
this
subject
,
even
less
than
on
any
other
,
she
knew
there
was
no
chance
of
sympathy
,
and
so
she
devoted
all
the
energies
of
her
matured
and
well-regulated
mind
to
correcting
the
evil
as
much
as
it
lay
in
her
individual
power
;
and
in
the
year
which
her
earnest
entreaties
prevailed
on
her
father
to
permit
her
remaining
in
quiet
retirement
,
before
she
entered
the
world
,
Lord
Delmont
was
astonished
at
the
greater
comfort
and
increase
of
dignity
which
pervaded
his
establishment
.
He
never
had
chosen
Mrs.
Harcourt
to
interfere
with
his
household
concerns
,
believing
that
he
conducted
them
himself
,
when
in
reality
he
was
completely
governed
by
his
housekeeper
and
steward
.
Mrs.
Harcourt
's
penetration
had
seen
and
regretted
this
,
and
had
endeavored
so
to
guide
and
instruct
Emmeline
,
that
when
she
became
old
enough
to
claim
her
right
as
mistress
,
the
evil
should
be
remedied
.
Could
she
have
looked
down
on
the
child
of
her
love
,
she
would
indeed
have
rejoiced
at
the
beautiful
fruition
of
her
labors
.
Lord
Delmont
was
not
astonished
and
delighted
only
,
a
feeling
of
respect
toward
his
gentle
,
his
truthful
child
entered
his
heart
,
such
as
he
had
experienced
toward
none
,
save
her
mother
.
Emmeline
would
indeed
have
thought
all
her
toils
repaid
,
could
she
have
known
this
,
but
the
very
feeling
prevented
the
display
of
that
caressing
affection
he
still
lavished
on
Eleanor
,
and
the
tears
of
his
elder
girl
often
fell
thick
and
fast
from
the
painful
longing
for
one
similar
caress
,
one
evidence
on
his
part
,
that
,
though
neither
so
beautiful
,
nor
talented
,
nor
engaging
as
Eleanor
,
she
could
yet
minister
to
his
comfort
and
increase
his
happiness
.
But
Emmeline
's
strong
feeling
of
religion
,
while
it
enabled
her
to
bear
up
against
care
and
the
constant
and
most
painful
feeling
of
loneliness
,
rendered
the
trial
of
beholding
her
sister
's
willful
course
of
error
,
if
possible
,
still
more
severe
.
She
knew
that
all
her
affectionate
counsels
were
worse
than
useless
,
that
though
Eleanor
could
be
even
caressingly
affectionate
when
it
served
her
purpose
,
would
even
listen
to
her
at
the
moment
of
suffering
from
some
too
hasty
impulse
,
she
had
no
lasting
influence
.
And
this
became
more
and
more
evident
as
Eleanor
became
the
almost
constant
companion
of
the
Marchioness
Lascelles
,
their
only
female
relative
.
It
was
the
evil
influence
of
this
lady
which
had
so
increased
Eleanor
's
natural
repugnance
to
Mrs.
Harcourt
's
gentle
sway
,
that
for
full
two
years
before
the
latter
's
death
the
flattery
of
Lady
Lascelles
and
Eleanor
's
passionate
entreaties
had
prevailed
on
Lord
Delmont
to
permit
his
daughter
being
more
with
her
than
with
her
sister
and
governess
.
Lady
Lascelles
was
a
woman
of
the
world
,
utterly
heartless
,
highly
distinguished
,
and
supremely
fashionable
.
At
her
house
all
the
ton
of
the
beau
monde
congregated
,
and
scandal
,
frivolity
,
and
esprît
were
the
prevailing
topics
,
diversified
with
superficial
opinions
of
the
literature
,
arts
,
and
politics
of
the
day
,
and
various
sentimental
episodes
,
which
the
lady
of
the
house
endured
for
the
sake
of
variety
.
Here
Eleanor
,
even
at
fourteen
,
was
made
a
popular
idol
;
her
extreme
beauty
,
her
vivacity
,
her
talents
,
her
sharpness
of
repartee
,
all
were
admired
,
extolled
,
and
encouraged
.
At
seventeen
she
was
introduced
and
initiated
into
all
the
mysteries
of
an
ultra-fashionable
life
,
and
very
speedily
added
to
her
other
accomplishments
all
the
arts
of
a
finished
and
heartless
coquette
.
With
Lady
Lascelles
for
her
chaperon
,
it
was
not
very
surprising
that
Emmeline
Manvers
shrunk
in
pain
and
dread
from
her
introduction
into
society
;
but
yet
she
knew
her
social
duties
too
well
to
refuse
,
and
,
by
an
affectation
of
superior
sanctity
,
which
of
course
would
have
been
the
charge
leveled
against
her
,
throw
a
sneer
upon
those
holy
feelings
and
spiritual
principles
which
had
become
part
of
her
very
being
.
She
entered
into
society
,
but
the
isolation
to
a
heart
like
hers
of
the
coteries
of
Lady
Lascelles
and
her
friends
,
was
indeed
most
painful
,
and
aggravated
by
the
constant
dread
which
the
contemplation
of
Eleanor
's
reckless
career
could
not
but
occasion
.
But
Emmeline
's
trial
of
loneliness
was
happily
not
of
very
long
duration
.
At
a
ball
,
which
was
less
exclusive
than
the
assemblages
of
Lady
Lascelles
,
the
attention
of
both
sisters
was
attracted
to
a
young
nan
,
by
name
Arthur
Hamilton
—
Eleanor
,
from
his
distinguished
appearance
and
extreme
reserve
,
Emmeline
,
by
the
story
attached
to
his
name
.
His
father
had
so
distinguished
himself
in
the
amelioration
of
the
peasantry
and
working
classes
in
various
parts
of
England
,
in
addition
to
various
services
of
a
private
and
confidential
nature
from
the
home
government
to
the
courts
abroad
,
that
a
viscountcy
was
offered
to
his
acceptance
.
The
message
from
royalty
reached
him
on
his
death-bed
,
and
though
,
from
the
faint
and
flickering
accents
with
which
he
replied
to
the
intended
honor
,
it
seemed
as
if
he
declined
it
,
it
was
attributed
to
the
natural
feelings
of
a
dying
man
,
seeing
the
utter
nothingness
of
earthly
honors
,
and
the
title
was
generously
proposed
to
his
son
.
But
Arthur
Hamilton
had
not
been
the
pupil
and
friend
of
his
father
in
vain
.
With
a
calm
dignity
and
uncompromising
independence
,
he
declared
that
he
had
neither
claim
nor
heirship
to
the
reward
of
his
father
's
services
;
that
he
believed
his
parent
would
himself
have
refused
it
,
preferring
the
honorable
distinction
of
being
an
untitled
English
gentleman
,
to
the
unvalued
honor
of
a
newly-created
lordship
.
He
respectfully
thanked
the
government
for
the
honor
they
intended
,
but
decisively
refused
it
—
that
his
dearest
inheritance
was
his
father
's
name
.
Of
course
this
most
extraordinary
decision
was
canvassed
again
and
again
in
the
fashionable
world
,
meeting
there
with
very
little
appreciation
,
because
it
sprang
from
much
higher
feelings
than
the
world
could
comprehend
.
By
many
he
was
imagined
very
little
removed
from
insane
—
by
others
as
actuated
by
some
ulterior
motive
,
which
would
be
sure
to
display
itself
some
day
—
by
all
regarded
with
curiosity
—
by
some
few
with
earnest
,
quiet
,
heartfelt
admiration
:
and
of
this
number
was
not
only
Emmeline
Manvers
,
but
her
father
;
who
,
though
weak
and
yielding
,
was
not
worldly
,
and
could
admire
honorable
independence
,
even
while
some
of
his
friends
succeeded
in
persuading
him
that
in
this
case
it
nearly
reached
romance
.
Arthur
Hamilton
was
a
star
creating
a
sensation
;
it
signified
little
to
Eleanor
Manvers
why
or
wherefore
,
but
she
fully
resolved
to
conquer
him
and
chain
him
,
as
she
had
already
done
innumerable
others
,
victim
to
her
charms
.
His
very
reserve
deepened
her
ardent
longing
,
and
the
difficulty
only
strengthened
her
resolution
,
but
she
tried
in
vain
;
for
the
first
time
she
was
completely
and
entirely
foiled
,
and
she
disliked
him
accordingly
—
a
dislike
increasing
to
actual
abhorrence
—
when
the
truth
at
length
forced
itself
upon
her
,
that
he
admired
,
conversed
with
,
evidently
sought
the
society
of
her
sister
,
whom
she
chose
to
charge
with
deceit
and
underhand
dealing
,
with
all
the
violence
of
angry
passion
and
mortified
defeat
.
Emmeline
bore
the
storm
calmly
,
for
her
conscience
perfectly
acquitted
her
.
She
was
not
indeed
indifferent
to
Arthur
Hamilton
,
but
she
had
tried
hard
to
prevent
the
ascendency
of
affection
,
for
she
had
heard
that
he
still
mourned
the
loss
of
a
beloved
one
to
whom
he
had
been
for
many
years
engaged
.
And
deep
was
her
thankful
joy
,
and
unexpected
indeed
the
intensity
of
her
happiness
,
when
six
months
after
their
first
introduction
he
related
to
her
the
heavy
trial
of
his
early
life
,
and
concluded
by
asking
her
if
she
could
indeed
accept
a
heart
which
had
so
loved
another
,
but
which
was
now
entirely
her
own
,
and
happier
than
he
had
once
believed
it
ever
could
be
.
The
very
frankness
of
his
avowal
increased
the
feelings
of
reverence
and
regard
he
had
already
inspired
,
and
to
the
great
delight
,
and
no
little
pride
of
Lord
Delmont
,
his
elder
daughter
,
who
had
been
by
Lady
Lascelles
'
coterie
so
overlooked
and
neglected
,
who
had
been
by
many
for
years
considered
a
mere
foil
to
the
beauty
and
talent
of
her
younger
sister
,
was
united
before
she
was
twenty
,
to
a
man
who
—
however
his
high
principles
might
have
excited
laughter
as
high-flown
romance
,
his
unbending
integrity
and
dislike
of
the
pleasures
and
amusements
,
but
too
often
the
sole
pursuit
of
the
wealthy
,
exposed
him
to
the
charge
of
severity
and
eccentricity
—
was
yet
sought
,
and
his
connection
deemed
a
most
desirable
partie
by
all
and
every
family
who
had
marriageable
daughters
.
CHAPTER
IV
.
RETROSPECTIVE
.
—
EFFECTS
OF
COQUETRY
.
—
OBEDIENCE
AND
DISOBEDIENCE
.
Eleanor
's
unfounded
dislike
toward
Arthur
Hamilton
did
not
decrease
when
he
became
her
brother-in-law
;
she
chose
to
believe
that
he
had
injured
her
by
being
the
only
one
who
had
remained
proof
against
all
the
fascinations
she
had
thrown
in
his
way
.
Even
in
her
childhood
,
if
any
one
chanced
to
notice
Emmeline
more
than
herself
,
it
was
considered
a
mortal
offense
,
and
the
person
who
had
so
offended
was
scarcely
spoken
to
again
.
Therefore
that
Emmeline
should
be
married
before
herself
,
and
to
the
man
she
intended
to
captivate
,
but
not
to
love
,
or
wed
,
was
an
offense
visited
upon
her
sister
by
the
withdrawal
of
her
speech
for
six
months
,
and
on
Mr.
Hamilton
by
an
insulting
haughtiness
of
demeanor
toward
him
,
at
which
he
only
smiled
;
and
,
to
her
extreme
annoyance
,
she
found
that
even
as
she
had
failed
to
fascinate
,
she
equally
failed
to
offend
.
He
would
speak
to
her
,
would
treat
her
with
courtesy
,
and
the
quiet
familiarity
of
an
older
relative
—
and
more
,
actually
remonstrate
with
her
conduct
whenever
he
thought
it
wrong
.
It
was
the
recollection
of
this
time
,
yet
more
than
actual
present
feeling
,
which
had
occasioned
the
mistaken
impressions
she
had
infused
into
both
her
children
,
of
the
extreme
severity
and
harshness
of
their
uncle
,
thoughtlessly
indeed
,
for
the
present
was
always
all
to
her
,
and
if
she
did
think
that
they
might
one
day
be
under
his
charge
,
she
little
imagined
the
unhappiness
and
mischief
which
their
supposition
of
his
unbending
sternness
might
engender
.
To
Emmeline
,
the
change
in
her
young
life
was
so
marvelous
,
so
complete
—
care
,
anxiety
,
loneliness
,
that
sinking
of
the
whole
frame
and
heart
,
from
the
absence
of
appreciation
and
social
kindness
,
had
so
departed
,
leaving
in
their
stead
such
an
intensity
of
quiet
domestic
happiness
,
that
it
was
long
before
her
full
heart
could
believe
it
reality
,
and
rest
secure
.
She
had
always
longed
for
one
to
reverence
,
to
cling
to
,
and
her
husband
gave
her
room
for
both
.
As
his
betrothed
,
even
before
their
marriage
,
she
had
been
introduced
to
very
different
society
to
that
of
the
marchioness
;
she
beheld
him
reverenced
,
loved
,
appealed
to
by
the
wisest
and
the
best
men
,
often
older
than
himself
.
That
this
man
should
so
love
,
cherish
,
and
actually
reverence
her
—
no
wonder
that
under
the
magic
of
such
feelings
her
character
matured
,
displaying
such
engaging
and
unsuspected
qualities
,
that
even
her
husband
often
looked
at
her
with
astonishment
,
playfully
asking
her
if
she
could
be
the
same
calm
,
almost
too
quiet
,
and
seemingly
too
cold
Emmeline
Manvers
whom
he
had
first
seen
.
Her
very
talents
,
which
had
seemed
worthless
,
compared
to
her
sister
's
,
were
called
forth
by
her
husband
.
She
found
that
her
voice
and
her
touch
on
either
piano
or
harp
,
could
give
him
exquisite
pleasure
,
and
this
once
discovered
,
she
made
such
improvement
as
almost
to
surprise
herself
.
She
found
the
sketches
taken
from
the
various
lovely
spots
in
the
vicinity
of
their
noble
seat
,
and
in
which
Devonshire
abounds
,
delighted
him
,
and
when
Eleanor
did
visit
Oakwood
,
she
was
astounded
at
the
various
beautiful
drawings
,
which
evinced
the
employment
of
that
leisure
which
she
had
declared
must
be
even
to
the
quiet
Emmeline
a
horrid
bore
.
To
Lord
Delmont
the
change
in
his
daughter
was
much
more
astonishing
than
to
her
husband
.
He
was
very
often
at
Oakwood
(
particularly
when
a
little
grandson
was
added
to
the
happy
party
)
,
for
his
home
under
Eleanor
's
extravagant
and
heedless
management
had
lost
all
the
comfort
that
Emmeline
had
bestowed
.
He
had
begun
,
too
,
to
discover
that
his
darling
,
his
still
favorite
Eleanor
,
was
not
faultless
.
Emmeline
's
generous
assistance
and
determination
to
spare
her
father
all
discomfort
had
concealed
Eleanor
's
personal
extravagance
from
him
;
but
after
her
marriage
,
as
Eleanor
's
fashionable
amusements
increased
,
so
did
the
quantity
and
amount
of
her
bills
,
which
,
as
the
young
lady
did
not
seem
inclined
to
settle
them
,
were
sent
to
her
father
.
Lord
Delmont
was
painfully
startled
,
and
with
his
usual
want
of
judgment
spoke
to
Eleanor
at
the
very
moment
that
he
felt
most
angry
;
unaccustomed
to
reproof
from
him
,
she
retorted
with
equal
passion
,
and
a
violent
altercation
ensued
,
which
ended
in
Eleanor
ordering
the
carriage
and
driving
to
Lady
Lascelles
,
declaring
she
could
not
think
of
returning
home
,
till
her
father
had
sufficiently
recovered
his
senses
for
her
to
do
so
in
safety
.
The
interference
of
Emmeline
at
length
succeeded
in
restoring
peace
,
but
Lord
Delmont
's
eyes
had
been
rudely
opened
,
and
,
as
is
unhappily
too
often
the
case
with
those
weak
characters
where
over-indulgence
of
childhood
,
has
occasioned
those
annoyances
of
ungoverned
youth
,
he
became
irritable
and
sometimes
even
harsh
with
Eleanor
,
which
conduct
threw
her
still
more
with
Lady
Lascelles
.
As
to
joining
society
with
Mr.
and
Mrs.
Hamilton
,
when
they
were
in
London
,
Eleanor
would
not
hear
of
it
.
But
to
her
sister
's
great
joy
,
and
some
surprise
,
she
accepted
an
invitation
to
Oakwood
a
short
time
after
little
Percy
's
birth
;
and
,
still
more
surprising
,
condescended
to
make
herself
agreeable
.
The
London
season
had
tired
her
,
and
she
thought
she
might
just
as
well
be
dull
on
the
banks
of
the
Dart
in
August
and
September
as
in
some
stupid
watering-place
.
Mr.
Hamilton
,
despite
her
dislike
,
which
she
cared
not
to
avow
,
she
found
could
be
at
least
very
entertaining
;
her
father
was
more
like
his
former
self
,
her
sister
far
more
delightful
and
lovely
than
she
ever
thought
she
could
be
,
and
her
nephew
certainly
a
pretty
little
plague
.
Then
Mr.
Hamilton
had
a
beautiful
horse
entirely
for
her
use
,
and
she
rode
exceedingly
well
,
and
was
greatly
admired
.
She
was
seized
with
an
exploring
mania
,
and
dragged
Emmeline
to
every
old
ruin
and
dark
wood
within
ten
miles
of
Oakwood
.
Altogether
the
impression
she
left
behind
her
,
after
a
two
months
'
visit
,
was
such
as
to
ease
Mrs.
Hamilton
's
great
anxiety
,
more
especially
as
it
appeared
from
certain
private
conversations
,
that
her
affections
were
for
the
first
time
really
engaged
,
and
Emmeline
had
always
fondly
hoped
that
when
that
should
be
the
case
,
Eleanor
would
become
a
very
different
person
.
Alas
!
penetrative
as
she
was
,
she
had
not
yet
learned
her
sister
's
character
;
simply
because
utter
heartlessness
in
any
woman
she
could
not
comprehend
.
Her
visit
to
her
father
in
London
,
in
the
winter
,
removed
all
their
rising
hopes
,
and
caused
such
increased
and
intense
anxiety
,
as
so
to
injure
her
already
delicate
health
that
her
husband
bore
her
back
to
Oakwood
a
full
month
before
they
had
originally
intended
.
Whether
or
not
Eleanor
loved
Lord
Fitzclair
,
it
was
impossible
to
determine
;
but
that
he
devotedly
,
passionately
loved
her
,
was
only
too
evident
,
not
only
to
the
world
,
but
to
herself
;
and
this
once
confirmed
,
she
left
no
method
untried
to
torment
,
and
so
,
as
she
declared
,
to
try
if
his
affections
were
worth
having
.
He
was
half
an
Italian
,
and
had
inherited
all
the
strong
,
fierce
passions
of
that
country
,
without
one
atom
of
self-control
.
Mr.
Hamilton
knew
him
well
,
far
better
than
he
knew
himself
,
and
conjured
him
to
withdraw
from
the
society
of
one
who
could
never
make
him
happy
,
and
whose
capricious
conduct
was
so
likely
to
render
him
desperate
and
miserable
:
he
reasoned
,
entreated
in
vain
.
"
She
only
wants
to
try
the
strength
of
my
love
,
"
was
his
sole
reply
;
"
and
were
she
to
torment
health
and
life
away
,
it
will
never
change
—
she
will
be
mine
yet
.
"
And
to
the
astonishment
of
Mr.
and
Mrs.
Hamilton
,
two
months
afterward
he
proposed
in
form
,
and
actually
was
accepted
,
with
the
sole
condition
that
their
engagement
should
be
kept
secret
till
it
should
please
Eleanor
to
name
the
wedding
day
,
which
could
not
be
at
least
for
six
or
eight
months
.
This
engagement
might
have
eased
anxiety
,
but
the
condition
increased
it
,
especially
,
as
instead
of
coming
to
Oakwood
,
as
Emmeline
had
asked
and
hoped
,
the
latter
part
of
the
summer
and
autumn
was
to
be
spent
in
Cheltenham
with
a
very
gay
party
,
in
which
Eleanor
was
still
of
course
the
star
.
Mrs.
Hamilton
entered
the
nursery
one
morning
earlier
than
usual
,
for
her
infant
had
not
been
well
the
night
before
,
and
she
had
already
experienced
the
care
as
well
as
the
joy
of
a
mother
.
Her
babe
was
better
,
and
as
he
lay
smilingly
and
happily
in
her
lap
,
and
watched
the
eager
movements
of
his
brother
,
she
was
only
sensible
of
pleasure
.
The
nurse
had
arranged
the
chairs
in
a
long
line
,
that
Master
Percy
might
,
with
their
help
,
walk
the
whole
length
of
the
large
and
airy
room
.
The
feat
mightily
pleased
the
little
gentleman
,
who
,
having
acquired
the
venerable
age
of
fifteen
months
,
liked
better
to
feel
his
feet
than
crawl
on
the
floor
,
or
be
carried
about
on
any
limbs
but
his
own
.
Every
two
or
three
paces
he
stood
nearly
alone
,
and
burst
into
a
loud
merry
laugh
,
which
was
always
echoed
by
a
crow
of
joy
from
his
little
brother
.
"
Take
care
,
Percy
,
love
,
do
n't
fall
and
frighten
mamma
,
"
said
his
young
mother
,
who
was
watching
him
with
such
pleasure
as
to
send
for
his
father
to
share
it
.
When
her
son
,
to
prove
how
well
he
obeyed
her
commands
to
take
care
,
stood
for
a
second
without
any
support
,
and
then
ran
quite
alone
across
the
room
,
and
with
a
yet
louder
laugh
hid
his
rosy
face
in
her
lap
.
Mrs.
Hamilton
fondly
kissed
the
little
nestling
head
,
and
at
that
moment
her
husband
entered
the
room
.
"
Dearest
Arthur
,
"
she
eagerly
exclaimed
,
"
I
was
actually
foolish
enough
to
send
for
you
.
Herbert
seems
quite
well
;
I
was
,
it
seems
,
needlessly
alarmed
,
and
Percy
has
this
moment
—
"
She
stopped
in
sudden
terror
,
for
there
was
an
expression
on
her
husband
's
countenance
of
such
unusual
agitation
,
that
though
he
tried
to
smile
when
he
heard
her
words
,
she
could
not
conquer
her
alarm
,
more
than
to
say
,
in
a
caressing
voice
to
her
little
boy
—
"
Will
not
Percy
run
to
papa
,
and
ask
him
why
he
looks
so
sad
?
"
The
child
looked
up
in
her
face
,
and
then
,
as
his
father
held
out
his
arms
to
him
,
let
go
his
mother
's
dress
,
and
obeyed
her
.
Mr.
Hamilton
caught
him
to
his
heart
,
held
him
for
above
a
minute
,
kissed
him
fondly
,
and
left
the
nursery
without
uttering
a
single
word
.
"
Let
me
take
Master
Herbert
,
ma'am
,
"
said
the
head
nurse
respectfully
,
for
she
saw
that
her
mistress
's
unexpressed
alarm
had
nearly
overpowered
her
;
and
in
a
few
minutes
Emmeline
was
with
her
husband
,
whose
agitation
was
so
excessive
,
that
even
his
wife
's
presence
,
for
the
moment
,
had
scarcely
power
to
calm
him
.
The
tale
was
soon
told
.
Eleanor
's
conduct
since
her
engagement
had
been
such
as
to
excite
the
displeasure
,
not
of
her
father
alone
,
but
actually
of
the
marchioness
;
who
,
though
a
weak
and
worldly
woman
,
had
yet
some
idea
of
propriety
.
As
a
near
relation
of
Lord
Delmont
,
Eleanor
's
engagement
with
Lord
Fitzclair
was
of
course
told
to
her
,
and
again
and
again
she
warned
her
that
she
was
going
too
far
,
and
might
lose
her
lover
before
she
was
aware
of
it
;
but
Eleanor
only
laughed
at
her
,
and
at
last
won
her
over
to
the
belief
that
it
was
certainly
better
to
cure
Fitzclair
of
his
jealous
tendency
before
marriage
than
afterward
.
Lord
Delmont
's
reproofs
she
was
wont
to
silence
,
by
invariably
making
them
the
signal
of
mortifying
and
annoying
Lord
Fitzclair
still
more
than
usual
.
Yet
still
at
times
she
relented
,
and
so
strengthened
the
love
she
had
excited
,
so
enhanced
her
own
fascinations
,
that
all
the
agony
he
had
endured
and
was
still
,
he
knew
,
to
endure
,
by
an
incomprehensible
contradiction
,
riveted
her
power
and
hastened
his
own
doom
.
Weak
in
all
things
but
his
love
,
he
could
not
demand
as
his
actual
right
the
publication
of
their
engagement
.
Eleanor
vowed
if
he
did
till
she
permitted
him
,
she
would
have
nothing
more
to
say
to
him
.
She
knew
,
though
she
did
not
say
it
,
that
once
made
known
,
a
chain
would
be
thrown
round
her
actions
,
which
she
did
not
choose
to
endure
.
And
father
,
lover
,
and
friend
,
all
feeling
she
was
wrong
,
and
the
first
and
last
repeatedly
telling
her
so
,
had
yet
neither
of
them
the
resolution
to
contend
with
her
,
and
compel
the
proper
course
.
A
month
of
their
visit
to
Cheltenham
so
passed
,
when
Eleanor
's
attention
was
arrested
by
a
new
actor
on
the
scene
.
She
had
begun
to
tire
of
her
present
satellites
,
and
a
young
military
captain
,
whose
furlough
from
India
had
just
expired
,
and
whose
pale
face
,
somewhat
melancholy
expression
,
and
very
elegant
figure
,
presented
a
new
subject
for
conquest
impossible
to
be
resisted
;
and
it
was
unhappily
,
only
too
easily
achieved
.
She
made
no
secret
of
her
admiration
,
speaking
of
him
in
such
terms
to
her
intended
husband
as
to
excite
anew
every
jealous
feeling
.
It
was
easy
for
Captain
Fortescue
to
discover
Fitzclair
was
his
rival
;
but
believing
himself
decidedly
the
object
of
Eleanor
's
preference
,
he
increased
his
attentions
,
little
imagining
the
storm
he
was
exciting
,
the
more
fearful
from
its
determined
suppression
.
Lord
Delmont
interfered
several
times
,
not
only
by
reproaches
to
Eleanor
,
but
by
determined
coldness
to
her
new
suitor
.
Finding
at
length
that
her
encouragement
actually
neared
a
criminal
extent
,
and
after
a
desperately
stormy
interview
,
he
solemnly
declared
that
if
she
did
not
dismiss
Captain
Fortescue
at
once
,
he
would
shame
her
in
the
face
of
the
whole
world
,
by
proclaiming
her
engagement
with
the
young
marquis
.
Eleanor
in
equal
anger
,
declared
that
if
he
threatened
,
so
too
could
she
;
and
if
he
tormented
her
any
more
she
would
prevent
all
publication
of
her
engagement
,
by
herself
snapping
it
asunder
,
and
pledging
her
faith
to
Captain
Fortescue
.
This
was
too
much
even
for
Lord
Delmont
.
Declaring
if
she
did
so
,
a
father
's
heaviest
malediction
should
fall
on
her
head
,
he
hastily
left
her
;
and
Eleanor
very
composedly
went
to
prepare
for
an
excursion
on
horseback
with
Fortescue
,
Fitzclair
and
others
.
When
Lord
Delmont
's
passions
were
once
roused
,
even
his
ordinarily
slender
judgment
entirely
forsook
him
,
and
he
did
that
which
at
another
time
,
knowing
Fitzclair
as
he
did
,
he
would
have
shrunk
from
.
He
sought
him
,
while
still
exasperated
,
upbraided
him
for
his
weakness
in
permitting
Eleanor
's
unprincipled
conduct
,
and
warned
him
that
,
if
he
did
not
adopt
some
strong
measures
to
prevent
it
,
he
would
certainly
lose
her
entirely
.
The
young
man
heard
him
without
reply
;
but
his
face
grew
livid
,
and
he
clenched
his
hand
till
the
blood
started
from
the
nails
,
and
in
this
mood
of
concentrated
passion
joined
the
riding
party
.
The
exercise
itself
is
,
to
some
temperaments
,
unusually
exciting
,
and
the
determined
coldness
of
Eleanor
to
himself
,
and
the
eagerly-received
devotion
of
Fortescue
,
maddened
him
.
He
demanded
an
interview
with
her
on
their
return
home
,
struggled
to
speak
calmly
,
expostulated
,
and
,
finally
,
reproached
.
Eleanor
,
already
irritated
;
and
,
beyond
all
,
that
her
lover
,
in
general
so
obsequious
and
humble
,
should
dare
to
call
her
to
account
for
mere
amusement
,
combined
with
the
recollection
of
Captain
Fortescue
's
flattering
vows
and
willing
homage
,
excited
her
to
an
extent
of
which
she
was
herself
unconscious
,
inasmuch
as
she
firmly
believed
,
whatever
she
might
say
then
,
a
few
soft
words
would
speedily
obliterate
.
She
told
him
that
really
his
jealous
temperament
was
beyond
all
endurance
;
that
he
certainly
must
intend
her
to
despise
and
abhor
him
;
and
that
the
contrast
he
presented
to
Captain
Fortescue
was
such
as
to
make
her
most
heartily
wish
to
put
an
end
to
their
engagement
,
as
she
felt
quite
sure
it
must
only
end
in
misery
for
both
;
and
,
without
waiting
for
a
reply
,
she
haughtily
brushed
by
him
,
and
disappeared
.
Of
the
extent
of
Fitzclair
's
passion
Eleanor
had
not
the
least
idea
,
and
this
is
saying
a
great
deal
,
for
she
generally
exaggerated
her
own
power
.
She
believed
she
had
inflicted
pain
,
but
not
as
much
as
he
deserved
;
and
determined
that
she
would
torment
him
yet
more
at
the
ball
that
evening
.
But
to
her
extreme
mortification
,
he
did
not
appear
,
and
there
was
a
vague
dread
on
her
spirits
as
she
retired
for
the
night
,
which
prevented
any
thing
like
rest
.
His
absence
had
excited
surprise
in
all
,
especially
Lady
Lascelles
,
who
knew
that
to
leave
Eleanor
entirely
to
the
attentions
of
young
Fortescue
was
so
unprecedented
as
to
bode
no
good
.
But
the
wildest
conjectures
were
far
from
reality
.
The
very
next
morning
all
Cheltenham
was
thrown
into
the
most
painful
excitement
by
the
incomprehensible
and
most
extraordinary
fact
of
the
suicide
of
Lord
Fitzclair
;
by
what
occasioned
,
plunged
into
such
mystery
that
nothing
but
sudden
aberration
of
mind
was
imagined
,
a
belief
justified
by
the
very
peculiar
temperament
and
manners
of
the
young
nobleman
during
his
sojourn
with
them
.
His
will
,
a
valuable
present
,
with
a
few
lines
of
regard
to
his
faithful
attendant
,
and
a
letter
addressed
to
Arthur
Hamilton
,
Esq.
,
were
the
sole
evidences
that
the
awful
deed
had
not
been
committed
without
some
preparation
;
but
as
that
was
often
the
case
with
madness
itself
,
it
excited
no
remark
.
The
state
of
Eleanor
's
mind
when
these
awful
tidings
were
communicated
to
her
,
which
they
were
by
her
father
,
in
his
agitation
and
anger
,
without
the
least
preparation
,
we
leave
our
readers
to
imagine
.
Hardened
,
heartless
,
willful
as
she
was
,
she
was
still
a
woman
,
and
a
very
young
one
,
and
till
Captain
Fortescue
appeared
,
had
loved
,
as
far
as
it
was
in
her
nature
,
Lord
Fitzclair
.
To
believe
that
she
had
nothing
to
do
with
his
miserable
end
was
an
attempt
so
vain
and
hollow
,
that
even
she
shrunk
from
the
hopeless
struggle
to
realize
it
;
remorse
in
all
its
torturing
,
unmitigated
anguish
took
possession
of
her
,
but
instead
of
leading
her
to
penitence
,
and
thence
the
hope
of
peace
,
it
urged
her
to
a
course
of
action
from
which
she
imagined
there
was
no
withdrawing
;
and
which
must
in
time
,
by
removing
her
from
all
painful
associations
,
lessen
her
present
misery
.
For
three
days
and
nights
she
never
quitted
her
own
apartment
,
and
then
joined
her
usual
circles
without
the
smallest
evidence
of
the
internal
agony
which
was
still
hers
.
It
was
very
easy
to
displace
paleness
by
artificial
roses
,
and
her
gay
smiles
and
joyous
sallies
were
tempered
only
by
a
judiciously-expressed
horror
when
the
late
event
was
discussed
before
her
,
supposed
natural
to
one
who
had
known
him
so
intimately
;
but
the
hours
of
loneliness
which
followed
this
conduct
in
society
were
terrible
indeed
.
By
a
strange
contrariety
of
feeling
,
her
better
nature
longed
for
Emmeline
,
and
her
artificial
,
which
had
,
alas
!
only
too
forcibly
become
her
natural
self
,
felt
as
if
she
would
leave
the
kingdom
rather
than
encounter
the
mild
,
sorrowful
glance
of
those
penetrating
eyes
.
Lord
Delmont
was
himself
in
a
most
pitiable
condition
;
even
minor
evils
had
always
been
great
to
him
,
and
the
effect
of
this
,
the
wish
to
take
Eleanor
away
from
Captain
Fortescue
's
increased
and
annoying
attentions
,
and
yet
the
dread
that
doing
so
would
connect
her
with
Fitzclair
's
death
,
so
distracted
him
as
to
render
him
really
ill
—
information
which
instantly
brought
Mr.
and
Mrs.
Hamilton
to
Cheltenham
.
Some
young
wives
and
mothers
might
have
felt
it
hard
that
their
domestic
enjoyment
should
so
continually
have
been
disturbed
and
annoyed
from
the
faults
of
others
;
but
Emmeline
had
been
accustomed
to
trace
every
thing
that
created
personal
suffering
to
the
highest
source
,
and
feel
that
it
was
good
for
her
,
or
it
would
not
be
;
a
conviction
that
enabled
her
to
bear
with
and
still
to
love
the
erring
one
that
was
the
visible
cause
of
pain
.
Eleanor
was
at
a
gay
ball
the
night
of
her
arrival
,
and
Mrs.
Hamilton
requested
she
might
not
be
informed
of
it
till
the
following
day
.
About
half
an
hour
before
her
usual
hour
of
rising
after
such
scenes
,
she
entered
her
sister
's
room
.
All
around
her
lay
the
ornaments
of
the
previous
evening
,
looking
so
strange
,
gaudy
,
and
faded
in
the
darkened
room
,
and
judged
by
the
calmer
feelings
of
the
morning
.
A
sensation
of
intense
depression
crept
over
Emmeline
as
she
gazed
,
increasing
as
she
looked
on
the
face
of
the
sleeper
,
which
,
divested
of
its
unnatural
bloom
,
looked
so
fearfully
wan
and
haggard
.
Her
beautiful
hair
lay
in
tangled
masses
on
her
damp
brow
,
and
as
Emmeline
gently
tried
to
remove
it
,
Eleanor
started
and
awoke
.
"
Is
it
already
time
to
get
up
?
"
she
said
languidly
,
and
only
half
unclosing
her
eyes
;
"
I
feel
as
if
I
had
not
slept
at
all
.
Am
I
dreaming
?
"
she
added
,
starting
up
,
"
or
have
I
slept
in
one
place
,
and
awoke
in
another
?
Am
I
at
Oakwood
?
"
"
No
,
dearest
Eleanor
;
will
you
not
welcome
me
to
Malvern
House
?
"
The
voice
,
the
look
,
seemed
to
thrill
through
her
;
her
temples
were
throbbing
,
her
heart
weighed
down
,
as
it
always
was
when
she
first
awoke
,
with
an
undefinable
sense
of
guilt
and
pain
;
she
tried
to
be
cold
,
proud
,
reserved
,
but
it
would
not
do
,
and
she
suddenly
flung
her
arms
round
her
sister
's
neck
,
and
burst
into
agonized
tears
.
It
was
a
most
unexpected
greeting
,
and
Mrs.
Hamilton
argued
hopefully
from
it
.
Alas
!
the
unwonted
softening
only
lasted
one
brief
half
hour
.
She
left
her
at
Eleanor
's
entreaty
while
dressing
,
and
when
she
returned
,
though
the
reckless
girl
told
her
with
a
half
smile
that
she
was
ready
for
her
lecture
,
for
she
could
only
have
come
from
Oakwood
to
give
her
one
;
and
that
however
severe
her
words
might
be
,
she
could
not
alter
her
tone
,
that
must
be
kind
,
in
spite
of
herself
.
Yet
Emmeline
could
not
succeed
in
convincing
her
how
wrongly
,
how
cruelly
she
had
acted
.
Eleanor
would
persist
that
she
was
not
in
the
least
to
blame
,
and
that
poor
Fitzclair
's
fearful
end
was
only
owing
to
his
own
violent
passions
;
in
fact
,
that
he
must
have
been
out
of
his
mind
,
and
that
,
though
it
was
certainly
very
dreadful
,
she
had
perhaps
escaped
a
very
terrible
doom
;
but
speak
as
she
might
,
Emmeline
was
not
deceived
as
to
the
agony
she
was
actually
enduring
.
Finding
,
however
,
that
all
her
gentle
efforts
were
useless
,
that
even
the
perusal
of
Fitzclair
's
brief
lines
to
her
husband
—
which
Eleanor
insisted
on
seeing
,
and
in
which
he
deplored
his
madness
in
not
having
followed
his
advice
,
and
flown
from
her
presence
,
and
bade
him
take
his
forgiveness
to
her
,
and
say
,
that
the
means
he
had
adopted
would
,
he
trusted
,
dissolve
their
engagement
to
her
satisfaction
—
had
no
effect
,
save
in
causing
her
to
turn
so
deadly
pale
,
that
her
sister
was
convinced
nothing
but
an
almost
supernatural
effort
of
pride
preserved
her
from
fainting
.
She
desisted
;
hoping
against
hope
that
Eleanor
would
yet
repent
and
become
a
different
being
.
She
knew
harshness
would
only
harden
,
and
so
she
tried
to
prevail
on
her
father
to
treat
her
as
usual
,
but
this
Lord
Delmont
could
not
do
.
It
is
strange
how
often
we
find
those
parents
who
have
been
over-indulgent
to
childhood
,
unusually
harsh
to
the
faults
of
youth
.
Weak
characters
,
also
,
when
driven
to
anger
,
are
always
more
violent
than
firmer
ones
;
and
,
certainly
,
Eleanor
's
continued
haughtiness
and
coldness
,
as
if
she
were
the
injured
one
,
did
not
tend
to
calm
him
.
And
his
angry
feelings
were
unfortunately
but
too
soon
aggravated
by
a
proposal
in
form
from
Captain
Fortescue
for
the
hand
of
Eleanor
.
Without
a
moment
's
delay
he
dispatched
a
decided
and
almost
insulting
refusal
to
the
young
soldier
,
and
then
sought
his
daughter
,
and
vented
on
her
the
anger
and
vexation
which
overpowered
him
,
upbraiding
her
not
only
with
the
death
of
Fitzclair
,
but
for
having
dared
so
to
encourage
young
Fortescue
as
to
give
him
courage
for
his
audacious
proposal
.
To
his
astonishment
,
he
was
heard
without
any
attempt
at
reply
;
but
he
would
have
been
startled
,
could
he
have
seen
the
pallid
cheek
,
compressed
lip
,
and
clenched
hand
with
which
,
when
he
had
left
her
,
Eleanor
muttered
—
"
Father
,
if
it
be
sin
to
leave
you
,
be
it
on
your
own
head
.
I
would
have
wedded
with
your
consent
,
had
you
permitted
it
;
but
now
my
destiny
is
fixed
.
There
is
no
peace
in
England
:
at
least
let
me
be
spared
the
agony
of
breaking
another
loving
heart
.
"
Nearly
three
weeks
rolled
on
,
and
Eleanor
's
extraordinary
submission
,
and
even
in
some
degree
withdrawal
from
society
(
for
which
Mrs.
Hamilton
's
arrival
was
a
good
excuse
)
,
caused
her
father
's
irritation
against
her
almost
entirely
to
subside
.
That
she
passed
several
hours
each
day
apart
from
her
sister
,
excited
no
surprise
.
Emmeline
was
thankful
even
for
her
change
of
deportment
,
but
nothing
confidential
ever
again
passed
between
them
.
That
reports
were
floating
about
,
connecting
the
names
of
Miss
Manvers
and
the
late
Lord
Fitzclair
,
seemed
little
heeded
by
Eleanor
,
though
they
caused
natural
vexation
to
her
family
.
About
this
time
an
invitation
arrived
for
Eleanor
from
a
lady
of
rank
,
slightly
known
to
her
father
,
and
living
ten
miles
from
Cheltenham
in
a
beautiful
villa
,
at
which
she
expected
a
select
party
of
fashionables
to
ruralize
for
a
week
or
two
.
There
was
nothing
in
the
note
to
excite
the
dread
that
weighed
on
Mrs.
Hamilton
's
spirits
,
as
Eleanor
carelessly
threw
it
to
her
for
her
perusal
,
but
she
would
not
express
it
,
as
Lord
Delmont
seemed
inclined
that
Eleanor
should
accept
it
,
knowing
that
the
lady
was
much
too
exclusive
for
Captain
Fortescue
to
join
her
guests
,
and
believing
that
Eleanor
's
apparent
indifference
to
the
visit
originated
from
that
cause
.
Telling
her
he
was
so
gratified
by
her
having
devoted
so
many
evenings
to
her
sister
,
he
added
,
she
had
his
full
consent
to
go
if
she
liked
,
as
he
could
better
spare
her
than
when
Emmeline
returned
to
Oakwood
.
She
quietly
thanked
him
,
but
evinced
no
particular
pleasure
.
The
day
before
her
intended
departure
,
the
sisters
were
sitting
together
,
and
little
Percy
,
who
now
ran
firmly
without
any
falls
,
was
playing
about
the
room
.
He
had
already
displayed
a
high
spirit
and
passionate
temper
,
with
their
general
accompaniment
,
self-will
,
even
in
trifles
,
that
Mrs.
Hamilton
felt
would
render
her
task
a
trying
one
;
but
she
was
as
firm
as
she
was
gentle
,
and
faced
the
pain
of
contradicting
her
darling
bravely
:
—
"
Do
not
touch
that
,
Percy
,
love
,
"
she
said
,
as
her
little
boy
stretched
out
his
hand
toward
a
beautiful
but
fragile
toy
,
that
stood
with
other
nick-nacks
on
a
low
table
.
The
child
looked
laughingly
and
archly
toward
her
,
and
withdrew
his
hand
,
but
did
not
move
from
the
table
.
"
Come
here
,
Percy
,
you
have
not
played
with
these
pretty
things
for
a
long
time
;
"
and
she
took
from
her
work-box
some
gayly
colored
ivory
balls
,
which
had
been
his
favorite
playthings
,
but
just
at
present
they
had
lost
their
charm
,
and
the
young
gentleman
did
not
move
.
Mrs.
Hamilton
knelt
down
by
him
,
and
said
quietly
:
"
My
Percy
will
not
disobey
mamma
,
will
he
?
"
"
Me
want
that
;
"
he
replied
,
in
the
pretty
coaxing
tone
of
infancy
;
and
he
twined
his
little
round
arms
caressingly
round
her
neck
.
Mrs.
Hamilton
felt
very
much
tempted
to
indulge
him
,
but
she
resisted
it
.
"
But
that
is
not
a
fit
plaything
for
you
,
love
;
besides
,
it
is
not
mine
,
and
we
must
not
touch
what
is
not
ours
.
Come
and
see
if
we
can
not
find
something
just
as
pretty
,
that
you
may
have
.
"
And
after
some
minutes
'
merry
play
in
her
lap
his
mother
hoped
he
had
forgotten
it
;
but
the
little
gentleman
was
not
,
he
thought
,
to
be
so
governed
.
The
forbidden
plaything
was
quietly
grasped
,
and
he
seated
himself
on
the
ground
,
in
silent
but
triumphant
glee
.
Surprised
at
his
sudden
silence
,
Mrs.
Hamilton
looked
toward
him
.
It
was
his
first
act
of
decided
disobedience
,
and
she
knew
she
must
not
waver
.
Young
as
he
was
,
he
had
already
learned
to
know
when
she
was
displeased
,
and
when
she
desired
him
very
gravely
to
give
her
the
toy
,
he
passionately
threw
it
down
,
and
burst
into
a
violent
fit
of
crying
.
His
nurse
took
him
struggling
from
the
room
,
and
Mrs.
Hamilton
quietly
resumed
her
work
;
but
there
was
such
an
expression
of
pain
in
her
countenance
,
that
Eleanor
exclaimed
,
"
Emmeline
!
I
have
been
watching
you
for
the
last
half
hour
,
and
I
can
not
comprehend
you
.
Do
explain
yourself
.
"
"
I
will
if
I
can
;
"
and
Mrs.
Hamilton
looked
up
,
and
smiled
.
"
Why
would
you
not
let
that
poor
little
Percy
have
that
toy
?
"
"
Because
it
would
have
been
encouraging
his
touching
or
taking
every
thing
he
sees
,
whether
proper
for
him
or
not
.
"
"
But
he
could
not
understand
that
.
"
"
Not
now
,
perhaps
;
but
I
wish
him
to
know
that
when
I
speak
,
he
must
obey
me
.
It
is
,
I
think
,
a
mistaken
doctrine
,
that
we
ought
to
give
children
a
reason
for
all
we
desire
them
to
do
.
Obedience
can
then
never
be
prompt
,
as
it
ought
to
be
.
And
,
in
fact
,
if
we
wait
until
they
are
old
enough
to
understand
the
reasons
for
a
command
,
the
task
will
be
much
more
difficult
,
from
the
ascendency
which
willfulness
may
already
have
obtained
.
"
"
But
then
why
were
you
so
cruel
as
to
send
the
poor
child
up-stairs
?
Was
it
not
enough
to
take
the
toy
from
him
?
"
"
Not
quite
;
for
him
to
remember
that
he
must
not
touch
it
again
.
"
"
And
do
you
really
think
he
will
not
?
"
"
I
can
only
hope
so
,
Eleanor
;
but
I
must
not
be
disheartened
if
he
do
.
He
is
an
infant
still
,
and
I
can
not
expect
him
to
learn
such
a
difficult
lesson
as
obedience
in
one
,
two
,
or
six
lessons
.
"
"
And
will
he
love
you
as
much
as
if
you
had
given
it
to
him
?
"
"
Not
at
the
moment
,
