But would Maraquita be so untrue to all the instincts of honour and justice as to permit her adopted sister to continue to bear the shame which rightly belonged to herself? Liz remembered Hugh Norris’s advice to her to seek out the parents of the child, and beg them to clear her good name in the eyes of the world. The counsel was good. She only knew of Quita as the mother of the infant; but she could, at all events, secure an interview with her, and implore her to confess the truth to Mr and Mrs Courtney, and relieve her from so intolerable a burthen. Surely, thought Lizzie, if Quita knew what she was suffering--and likely to suffer--she could not have the heart to refuse her! Little Quita, whom she had held in her arms as a baby herself--who had learned to walk clinging to her hand--who had shared her girlish pleasures and sorrows with her, and told her all her secrets (except this last terrible one)--surely _Quita_ would never blast her whole future in order to shield herself from the consequences of her sin! Perhaps she did not know about Henri de Courcelles! Liz had loved this man too deeply to talk upon the subject; and as the engagement had never been publicly ratified, Quita might not be aware of the cruel separation her guilt had caused between them. If she knew _that_--if she were told that some one whom Liz loved as fondly as ever _she_ could have loved the father of her child must be given up for ever, unless she spoke out--surely she would muster up courage to remove the heavy load she had laid upon her childhood’s friend. As Lizzie arrived at this conclusion, she lifted up her head and breathed more freely. A light was breaking through her darkness. Perhaps, after all, she had condemned her adopted sister too hastily, and should have waited to see her before she passed judgment. The time had been too short, and events had been too hurried, to enable Maraquita to do her justice. Perhaps she was even ignorant of the blame cast upon her; and with this last charitable thought of her adopted sister, and a resolution to see her on the first opportunity, Lizzie sought her bed, and tried to compose herself to sleep. [Illustration] [Illustration] CHAPTER III.