“What! swallowed that horrid drug, and taken the doubtful consequences—the only thing certain that she should overwhelm her father and mother and whole kindred in a horrid waste of grief? Then, when she did wake up in the dreadful shadowy tomb, because the first glimmer of light proved to her that the dangerous stratagem had been in vain, and she had lost her lover—— My dear, many a woman has to lose her lover,” Miss Greathead broke off, and fanned herself, while a quiver passed over her features. “Think of this American war, and the French wars, and the Scotch rebellion, and all that they cost. But to count the world lost, and refuse to live any longer without the one man! It was selfish and cowardly, as well as blasphemous, for her to fall on his sword, and make an end of it.” Lady Bell shivered. “There need not have been any use of violence,” she said, after a pause, speaking from the prompting of her heart—“unless, indeed, it was because the young Italian girl was too sorry for herself. A living death would soon have killed her; and if it had not, death in life would have been the greater tribute of the two.” “Lady Bell,” said Captain Fane in her ear, taking her hand and holding it fast and tight, as they left the box and wended their slow way after Miss Greathead, whom a friend was conducting to a coffee-house for supper, “I have something to say to you, and you know it, while you have not the heart to deny me the liberty of saying it. I am sure of this much after to-night. Oh, the happiness of knowing that your heart is on my side! What are the heaviest obstacles after that gracious encouragement? But I must speak where we shall not be interrupted. Will you be my love, and will you meet me on the Mall, where I shall be walking by nine o’clock to-morrow morning, long before there will be any company abroad?” Lady Bell hung her head and trembled, and would almost have drawn back, frightened at the result which she had helped to provoke. “You will not be true to yourself and to me if you refuse me such an interview,” he put it. “I shan’t detain you a moment against your will; do you think I should, or wilfully expose you or your good name? Ah, never; you know me better than think that. But although you have no parents to control you, and are even independent of guardians, you are so young, my darling, that it is such a miserable match for you.” “Hush, hush,” Lady Bell stopped him. “You don’t know how unworthy I am—what a vain, pleasure-loving, headstrong creature.” “You shall have the best, the purest pleasure that I can procure for you,” bragged Harry. “But all your friends will oppose a marriage between us, especially at this time, when I may get orders any day to sail for America. Even my friends, Sir Peter and Lady Sundon, will be scandalized—as if their house had not proved a snare to me, and as if they were answerable for their pirate of a kinsman snatching at the treasure which he came across.”