“No! no, Susan! Do not tell me that! He has not followed me here!” said the lady, whose pale, olive cheek seemed turned to marble. “Susan, speak! say you were mistaken—you might have been mistaken!” “Dear lady, are you so distressed that his lordship should prove the strength of his——” “Girl! girl! be careful of your words.” “I will, Madam,—the strength of his _esteem_ and _respect_ for you?” “To what end should he prove it? Does it need proof? Oh! why should he follow me here, only to renew a struggle so bitter, so terrible, so agonizing!” thought the lady to herself, as she sat twisting and wringing her white fingers. “Dear lady, take comfort. Consider that his lordship, indeed, has the law on his side. Pardon me, sweet mistress, for reminding you, that for all that has come and gone you are his wife, and he has at least a right to the hearing, that you have never given him; a right, in a word, to plead his cause with you, and——” The hand of the lady sank softly but firmly upon the head of the recumbent girl, and with her face, that was pale before, now dark with the swelling up of a suffocating emotion, she whispered huskily— “Susan, forbear—you know not what you say—he must be free and honored—he has a brilliant career before him—he must cut me off—I fly that he may do so—I would _die_ to rid him of me!” Susan looked up appalled at her lady’s face, in its dark and terrible agony. “Susan! never, while you live, renew this counsel. But, tell me now, are you _sure_ you saw him?” “Yes, perfectly sure, Madame.” “Where?” “In St. John’s church, yesterday afternoon.” “He did not see you?” “No, Madam; I sat far back, in a dark corner. I wore a vail also; and you know that when a thick vail is down before our faces, close to our eyes, we can see through it even at a distance, while those far off cannot recognize our features. If it had not been for my dark corner and my vail, I think his lordship might have discovered me, for he was looking about a great deal.” “Was he looking well?” “Oh! my lady, pardon me, how could he be looking well?” The lady groaned, and covered her face with her hands. The attendant continued— “No, my lady, he was not looking well! He was very thin and pale, worn and haggard, with a restlessness and anxiety on his countenance and in his manners, that it half broke my heart to behold. Oh, dearest lady, how can you bear to——” “SUSAN!” The word escaped like a sharp cry. “Forgive me, lady, my feelings betray me into indiscretion, sometimes.” “I am fearful, indeed, my girl, that you are not safe,” said Mrs. Estel, gravely. After this there was a pause for some moments, and then Mrs. Estel said— “Was that the only occasion upon which you saw him here, Susan?” “Yes, Madam; but I knew before that he was here.” “You knew it before, Susan, and never warned me!” “You would not permit me to tell you of the shipwreck, lady.”