MRS. SEVERN MRS. SEVERN. A NOVEL BY MARY E. CARTER, AUTHOR OF 'JULIET' 'SIN COMES TO US FIRST AS A _TRAVELLER_; IF ADMITTED, IT WILL SOON BECOME A _GUEST_; IMPORTUNATE TO RESIDE, AND IF ALLOWED SO FAR, WILL SOON AND FINALLY BECOME _MASTER_ OF THE HOUSE' _IN THREE VOLUMES_ _VOL. I_ [Illustration] LONDON: RICHARD BENTLEY & SON, NEW BURLINGTON STREET, PUBLISHERS IN ORDINARY TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN MDCCCLXXXIX _Printed by_ R. & R. CLARK, _Edinburgh_ CONTENTS PART I PROLOGUE PAGE AT ROCOZANNE, JERSEY 1 CHAPTER I OLD LAFER 19 CHAPTER II A MIDSUMMER EVENING 39 CHAPTER III BORLASE IS ABSENT-MINDED 55 CHAPTER IV JOY AND SORROW JOIN HANDS 70 CHAPTER V OVER THE HILLS 87 CHAPTER VI CYNTHIA MARLOWE 108 CHAPTER VII AT THE MIRES 133 CHAPTER VIII 'SIN THE TRAVELLER' 150 CHAPTER IX LETTERS 170 CHAPTER X OPINIONS AT LAFER HALL 190 CHAPTER XI NEW LIGHTS ON OLD SUBJECTS 206 CHAPTER XII COUNTER-OPINIONS AT OLD LAFER 230 CHAPTER XIII SCILLA REASONS WITH HARTAS 253 MRS. SEVERN PART I PROLOGUE AT ROCOZANNE, JERSEY 'It's very good of you to have met me, Ambrose.' 'But very unnecessary?' Mr. Severn laughed consciously, but re-covered himself by spreading his broad palm below his nostrils, and smoothing, with a slow downward movement, the close-cut moustache and beard that concealed his lips and chin. It was a new habit, but the growth also was new, and Ambrose was surprised to find that it took ten years from his age. 'Well, you know I told you not to meet me.' 'You did, and you don't say for civility's sake what you don't mean. There are some folk who believe in a system of formal introductions in Heaven itself. If you'd wished for company to St. Brelade's you would have left the point to my notions of propriety. However, I'll reassure you. I am going into town with the returning train.' 'I'll wait and see you off.' 'And do as you please about driving. If you prefer to walk, the dog-cart will wait for me.' 'Thanks, I should prefer to walk,' said Mr. Severn.