"She is very innocent," retorted Lady Wetheral, with bitterness. "Her innocence has caused her to oppose my wishes, and to dare that which her sisters never presumed to do. They never contravened my views, nor thwarted my wishes in their establishment, and they married well!" "Was it _well_ with Clara?" demanded her husband, with earnestness of manner as startling as it was novel--"was it _well_ with Clara? Did she not quit her home clandestinely, to become the wife of Kerrison?--miserable in her short career, and sudden in her death, was she happy? Is Clara to be held forth as an evidence of maternal care, in such a momentous concern?" "Forbear, Sir John, forbear!" cried his lady. "Nay, but Gertrude, has it been well with Julia, whom you taught to fly at quarry so distasteful? Wedded to imbecility--banished from her home and country, unseen and unheard of--is she, too, an evidence of your talent in contriving establishments?" "I tell you," exclaimed her ladyship, "Julia is an earl's wife; and Clara's position was high and grandly placed, but her own hand plucked her down. Who can reproach _me_?" "I will not reproach you, Gertrude, but I counsel you to spare this last poor child. Remember only your fatal mistakes, and do not add a third victim. I will not allow Christobelle to be sacrificed to your ambition." "Ring for Bevan, I am very ill--ring for Bevan, but let no one else come near me. I am _not_ hard-hearted! Clara called me hard-hearted: I am not hard-hearted! I am a disappointed, deceived mother. Where is Bevan?" Mrs. Bevan appeared with the remedies, which time had taught her to dispense as judiciously as her predecessor, Mrs. Daniel Higgins, had done; but Lady Wetheral's attack threatened a longer continuance than usual. She would fain have retired to her own room, but Sir John perceived her inability to move without assistance: her ladyship trembled excessively. He bore her in his arms to her bed-side, and Mrs. Bevan, after assisting her lady to repose, proceeded to close the shutters, and exclude the bright sunbeams. Lady Wetheral became still more nervous. "Bevan, let me have light--let me have light! If I cannot see the sun, it will be darkness of body and mind. Don't leave me, Bevan. Sir John, where are you?" Sir John stood near, in a state of offended alarm: his mind was discomposed--it never became angry. "Sir John, I cannot remain at Fairlee: take me back to Wetheral. Bell has destroyed my health. I was quite well till this wretched match, which has destroyed all my plans, and thrown down all my hopes! It has made me ill--worse than ever!"