Ethelberta, as she had intended, now went on further, and entering the nave began to inspect the sallow monuments which lined the grizzled pile. She did not perceive amid the shadows an old gentleman who had crept into the mouldy place as stealthily as a worm into a skull, and was keeping himself carefully beyond her observation. She continued to regard feature after feature till the choristers had filed in from the south side, and peals broke forth from the organ on the black oaken mass at the junction of nave and choir, shaking every cobweb in the dusky vaults, and Ethelberta's heart no less. She knew the fingers that were pressing out those rolling sounds, and knowing them, became absorbed in tracing their progress. To go towards the organ-loft was an act of unconsciousness, and she did not pause till she stood almost beneath it. Ethelberta was awakened from vague imaginings by the close approach of the old gentleman alluded to, who spoke with a great deal of agitation. 'I have been trying to meet with you,' said Lord Mountclere. 'Come, let us be friends again!--Ethelberta, I MUST not lose you! You cannot mean that the engagement shall be broken off?' He was far too desirous to possess her at any price now to run a second risk of exasperating her, and forbore to make any allusion to the recent pantomime between herself and Christopher that he had beheld, though it might reasonably have filled him with dread and petulance. 'I do not mean anything beyond this,' said she, 'that I entirely withdraw from it on the faintest sign that you have not abandoned such miserable jealous proceedings as those you adopted to-day.' 'I have quite abandoned them. Will you come a little further this way, and walk in the aisle? You do still agree to be mine?' 'If it gives you any pleasure, I do.' 'Yes, yes. I implore that the marriage may be soon--very soon.' The viscount spoke hastily, for the notes of the organ which were plunging into their ears ever and anon from the hands of his young rival seemed inconveniently and solemnly in the way of his suit. 'Well, Lord Mountclere?' 'Say in a few days?--it is the only thing that will satisfy me.' 'I am absolutely indifferent as to the day. If it pleases you to have it early I am willing.' 'Dare I ask that it may be this week?' said the delighted old man. 'I could not say that.' 'But you can name the earliest day?' 'I cannot now. We had better be going from here, I think.'