"I do not resent it now; since that," she continued, "I have gone through much affliction, I have experienced real grief and sorrow, such as reduce all petty annoyances to their proper level; but why revert to what is past." "To ask you to--not exactly to forgive, but to acknowledge that my bold attempt to grasp the inexpressible pleasure of your acquaintance was not so heinous." "Really, Lord Effingham, I should be obliged to you not to continue this conversation any further; I do not suppose it possible for you to comprehend the effect produced on my mind by your audacity; pardon me, but it is the only word that sufficiently expresses my impression of your conduct on the occasion to which you allude. Let it be forgotten, I would not for worlds disturb my cousin with any revelation so likely----" "Yes," interrupted Lord Effingham, absently, "I perceived, at a glance, that the fair widow was ignorant of the affair, but be it as you choose, for the future, only, if you are to continue her inmate, take my advice, and withhold the disclosure altogether." And he smiled with an expression of insolent power, that made Kate's heart thrill with indignation. "My Lord, I do not require a stranger's advice, what to confide to, or what to withhold from my earliest and dearest friend; you must excuse me, I have left Lady Desmond alone." "One moment," cried Lord Effingham, springing to the door, "we meet again as friends? You must not refuse to give me bulletins of your cousin's health in person." "I have no wish to embroil the even tenor of my life, about what can concern me no more, I wish you a good morning, my Lord." He held the door open, and bowed low, as she passed out, then returning to the place where she had stood, remained a moment in silent thought, gnawing his under lip. "By----," he at length muttered, "I would hate her if I could; if she was less lovely; her supreme disdain of my admiration was so real, and her indifference! Yet her cousin is more beautiful, and would have _acted_ the part perfectly, but all the time I should have felt it was only the graceful acting of my slave; this is real, this girl is free as air, and I feel as if afloat in some new and unexplored ocean, where my compasses are at fault, and the stars no longer those I used to steer by." He looked absently through the window till the animated fiery glance faded into a cold, sneering smile, then slowly descending to the hall door, mounted his horse, and gallopped across the park at full speed.