"We must tell him, my own Helen," said the curate; "he has been very kind to you, and I daresay will be very much disgusted at your making so poor a marriage." The girl looked reproachfully at him, but smiled in a moment, and said, "Go on, Cuthbert; you are not worth contradicting, you know." "No, but--" said Cuthbert, remonstrating, "you must let me set the world's view before you. No doubt Sir Laurence will think you very foolish; but he will always be our friend,--I feel sure of that,--though I know he is so different, and lives in so different a world, under so different a system. Sometimes, Helen, I have had an idea that he found out my secret; though I never could see an inch farther into his life and his heart than it was his good pleasure I should look. Yes, my darling, he must know all about us, and soon; for you must remember that it may make a difference in all his plans and arrangements, if he finds you are not to remain here after next spring." "I hardly think it will do that," said Helen; "I fancy he will establish Mrs. Chisholm here _en permanence_; that is to say, until he marries." "Is he likely to marry? Have you heard anything of that sort?" "O no! he has never talked of any girls to me. He has never said anything the least like intending to marry. The only woman he ever speaks of--and he does talk of her, and sometimes hears from her--is Lady Mitford; you remember, you told me about her marriage,--the daughter of Mr. Stanfield, your old tutor, you know." "Of course, I remember. How strangely things come about! it really seems as if there were only two sets of people in the world; for one never meets any one with whom one has not some link of communication! And Georgie Stanfield is Laurence Alsager's female crony and correspondent! How and where is she?" "In town, I believe; but I don't know much about her. He used to speak of her vaguely, in talking to me of the great world and its hollowness, as of one whom he greatly liked and esteemed, and who was unfortunately circumstanced. He said he would have asked Lady Mitford down here in the autumn, if he could have asked her without her husband; but that, of course, was impossible, and he could not invite Sir Charles Mitford. I believe they are very unhappy. Think of that, Cuthbert,--a husband and wife unhappy! a splendid home, with rank and wealth, and misery!" The girl lifted solemn eyes full of wonder and compassion to her lover's face. "Sir Laurence wished that I could know her, for her sake, he kindly said." "I wish you could, Helen; you would comfort her and do her good: and yet I would not have you saddened, my child, and made wise in the possibilities of life, as you must be if you had the confidence of an unhappy wife. You are better without it, darling--far better without it."