The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-07-29

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you"
"HOve you not seen Lady Loring ?"
asked.
"She and her husband have write,
most kindly, inviting me to make thei
house my home. / have no right {,
blame them, they meant well. But
after what has happened, can't gc
back to them"
81 am sorry to hear it," I said.
care you thinking of the Lorings =
she asked.
81 don't even know the Lorings.
can think of nobody but you"
I was still looking at her, and 1 an
afraid my eyes said more than my words
Ii she had doubted 1t before she must
have now known that / was as fond OF
her as ever. She looked distressed
rather than confused. L made al
awkward attempt to set myself right.
Surely your brother may speak
plainly" 1 said.
She agreed to this. But, neverthe-
less, she rose to go with friendly word
intended las I hoped) to show me that
had got my pardon for that time.
viii you come and see us to-mor-
row. she said. "Can you forgive my
mother as generously as you have for
given me? will take care, Bernard,
that she does you justice at last"
She held out b er hand to take leave.
How could Ireply? I If ] had been a
resolute man might have remembered
that it would be best for me not too sec
too much of her But L am Door
weak creature. 1 accepted her invita-.
tion for the next day.
3OM Janu@y.--I have just returned
from my visit.
My thoughts are in state of indie
scribable conflict and confusion, and
her mother is the cnnse of il. Twish I
had not gone to the house. Am n bad
man, wonder, and have L only found
it out now?
Mrs. Eyrecourt was alone in the
drawing-room when went in. Judging
by the easy manner in which she cot
up to receive me tho misfortune which
has befallen her daughter seemed ia
have produced no SOLDERING change in
this frivolous woman.
"My dear Winterfeld," she began.
I" 1 have behaved infamously. 1 won't
say that appearances We're against yon:
[ will only say 1 ought not to have
trusted appearances. Yon are the in
iured person; please forgive me. Shall
we 60 on with tho subject or shall
We shake hands and say no more abont
iii"
1 shook hands, of course. Mrs. Eyre
court perceived that l was looking foi
Stella.
"Sit down." she said, "and be good
enough to put up with no more attract
i've society than mine. Unless I sci
things straight, my good friend, you and
my daughter-oh, with the best inten.
tions. will drift into false position.
You won't see Stella to-day. Quite i'm
possible--and l will tell you why. ]
am the worldly old mother; / don't
mind what 1 say. My innocent daugh-
ter would die before she would confess
what ! am going TO tell You. Can
offer you anything? Have you had
lunch ?"
I begged her to continue. She per
picked, am not sure that she did not
oven alarm, me.
"Very WE'LL" she proceeded. 1" You
may be surprised to hear it, but 1 don't
mean to allow things to go on in this
way. My contemplate son-in-la law shall
return to his Wife"
This startled me, and I suppose 1
showed it.
"Wait little" said Mrs. Eyrecourt;
% there is nothing to be alarmed about.
Romayne is weak fool, and Father
Benwelrs hands are (of course) in both
MS pockets. But he has, unless am
entirely mistaken, some small sense of
shame and some little human feeling
till left. After the manner in which
le has behaved these ale the merest
possibilities, you will say. Very likely.
have boldly appealed TO those posi-
bilities, nevertheless. He has already
gone away to Rome, and need scarcely
add Father Benwell would take good
care of that he has left us no address.
II doesn't in the least matter. One OF
The advantages of being so much in
society rs 1 am is that | have nice ac
luaintances everywhere, always ready
- oblige me, provided | don't borrow
money of them have written to Ro-
mayne under cover to one of my friends
living in Rome. Wherever he may be
there will my letter find him."
So far / listened quietly enough. natu-
rally supposing that Mrs. Eyrecout
trusted 10 her own arguments and per-
1t was relief to me 10 feel
that the chances were hundred 10 one
against her.
This unworthy way of thinking was
instantly checked by Mrs. Eyrecourt's
next words.
"Don't suppose that 1 am foolish
enough to attempt to reason with him ?"
she went on. "My letter begins and
ends on the first page. His wife has a
claim on him which no newly-maniel
man can resist. Let me DO him justice.
He knew nothing of il before he went
away. My letter-my daughter has no
- n. 4 \. IL