CHAPTER XXII. A FATAL SPARK.

And so it chanced; which in those dark And fireless halls was quite amazing, Did we not know how small a spark Can set the torch of love ablazing. T. MOORE.

Aurelia rode home in perplexity, much afraid of the combustibles at her girdle, and hating the task her sister had forced on her. She felt as if her heedless avowals had been high treason to her husband; and yet Harriet was her elder, and those assurances that as a true woman she was bound to clear up the mystery, made her cheeks burn with shame, and her heart thrill with the determination to vindicate her husband, while the longing to know the face of one who so loved her was freshly awakened.

She was strongly inclined to tell him all, indeed she knew herself well enough to be aware that half a dozen searching questions would draw out the whole confession of her own communication and Harriet's unworthy suspicions; and humiliating as this would be, she longed for the opportunity. Here, however, she was checked in her meditations by a stumble of her horse, which proved to have lost a shoe. It was necessary to leave the short cut, and make for the nearest forge, and when the mischief was repaired, to ride home by the high road.

She thus came home much later than had been expected; Jumbo, Molly, and the little girls were all watching for her, and greeted her eagerly. The supper was already on the table for her, and she had only just given Fay and Letty the cakes and comfits she had bought at Brentford for them when Jumbo brought the message that his master hoped that madam, if not too much fatigued, would come to him as soon as her supper was finished.

Answer the following questions:
1. Who was suspicious?
2. Did she have cause?
3. Who was she relatedto?
4. How?
5. Who was older?
6. Was Aurelia married?
7. Did she hide something in her underwear?
8. What?
9. Did someone make her do it?
10. Who?
11. Did she make it back to her house on time?
12. Was anybody waiting?
13. Who?
14. Were they sad to see her?
15. Was dinner ready?
16. Where were the pastries from?
17. Who got to eat them?
18. Who was asked to meet the head of household after eating?
19. What did the equine lose?
20. Who is quoted?
1. Harriet'
2. Aurelia didn't think so
3. harriet
4. sisters
5. Harriet
6. yes
7. yes
8. combustibles
9. yes
10. Her sister
11. no
12. yes
13. Jumbo, Molly, and the little girls were all watching for her,
14. no
15. yes
16. Brentford
17. Fay and Letty
18. Aurelia
19. a shoe.
20. . T. MOORE.