’I will come back to see how the slate-quarry progresses. I had purposed building a breakwater, but I shall not now carry out this purpose.’ ’Why not?’ ’The lead mine is sure to engross nay time and attention. I shall be here but little. My interests will be centred in the silver lead.’ ’Very well.’ ’I shall provide for your comfort. You will have, as before, your own account in the bank, under the same name, Mirelle Garcia de Cantalejo. You will draw from the bank what you require.’ ’I thank you, Mr. Herring. You are very kind.’ ’You will do with the money what you like; you are entire mistress of it. You will pay for the expenses of the house from it, and keep what company you like. There are not many neighbours, but such as there are will call, and they will be hospitable to you, and glad to receive hospitality from you. I dare say you will require additional servants. Genefer——’ ’I beg your pardon, I do not wish to have that woman in the house. She frightens me.’ ’She is a worthy, devoted soul. You are sure to like her when once you have learned her value.’ ’She frightens me; I thought I should have died of fear last night.’ ’I cannot consent to her dismissal. She was my nurse, she has been with me from my birth, and loves me as if I were her own child. When I look back I see how her life has been devoted to me. Besides, the home farm is let to Hender, and he and she must live here: there is no other house for them, and the outbuildings are included in the lease. It is unavoidable. If I could have gratified you in this particular I would have done so, but I cannot.’ Mirelle became, if possible, colder. She bowed her head stiffly. ’Very well,’ she said, after a pause, awkward to both: ’if it cannot be, I must endure this cross also. But I entreat you, do not say me nay to my next petition.’ ’I will not. I would refuse you nothing, you may be very confident, but the impossible.’ ’It will not be impossible for Orange and her mother to come here and reside with me.’ Herring took a hasty turn up and down the room. The request vexed him greatly. There was something in Orange he did not like, something in her manner towards Mirelle which made him mistrust her professions of affection, something—a coarseness of mind which he suspected rather than perceived, which he shrank from voluntarily bringing into contact with the unsullied purity and delicacy of Mirelle’s soul. ’Is this also refused me?’ asked Mirelle. Then her coldness giving way, the assumed stiffness yielding to her natural emotion, ’Oh, John Herring, do not be unkind to me! You have been so good, so much better to me than I deserve.’ ’I—I unkind to you, Mirelle!’ In a moment also his assumed coldness cracked, and the warm suffering heart showed its blood through the rent, as the black crust of lava that descends Vesuvius breaks, and the fire of the core is seen glowing between the rough edges.