"Oh, Margaret, sweet Margaret! I cannot say what I would. I dare hardly think what I would. Everything is against me!" "Not everything," she answered, quickly--"not everything, unless I am nothing! I am with you heart and soul! No, you cannot speak, because you have no position, and perhaps no future. But I can! Oh, Hugh, Hugh! I care nothing about it being unmaidenly; I cannot mind such matters when my heart is breaking. I love you with all my soul and with all my life. I will think of you every hour you are away from me, and pray for you every hour until God brings you back. Oh, Hugh, tell me-tell me you love me!" "No, miss! Master Hughie shall do nothing of the sort!" interrupted Lady Jane, who had come in unmarked. "Any man who wishes to do any love-making, so far as Margaret Nairn is concerned, must first do so through me. "There, there! Peggy, my pet--my wee girlie. You may kiss him once for your poor heart's comfort; and then, my lambie, leave my boy to me; I am the only mother he has. There, dearie, go now," she said, tenderly, when I had kissed her as one might kiss a saint; and without a word Margaret left the room with my cousin, and it and my heart were empty. Lady Jane was generous, as was her wont: all that money could do to make my departure easy was done; and most of all, she comforted me as a mother might comfort a son--indeed, as she had said to Margaret, she was the only mother I had ever known. Again she told me plainly that I must not cherish any hopes upon her death beyond such humble provision as she might spare. "Margaret is my daughter, Hughie; and if you are the man I take you for, you would not deprive her of whatever money may bring." "Cousin," said I, "I am going away for her sake, for her peace of mind alone; and if I am content to bury myself alive for this now, think you I'll regret any other good that can come to her? I love her with my whole heart and soul, and the greatest bitterness I have to bear is that I am prevented from declaring my feelings towards her before I go. She has spoken words to me that call for all the response in a man's soul, and I go away with my mouth closed like a clown." "Tut, tut, Hughie! Now you are letting your vanity get the upperhand of you. You are bemoaning yourself because you have not cut a better figure in her eyes. But just one word for your cold comfort. There never was a young girl in her position yet--bless all their lovely, trusting hearts--who would not make a hero of the man she loved, had he the garb of a Merry Andrew and the manners of a Calmuck. Don't fash yourself over imaginary woes when you've real ones in sight, plain enough, my poor boy. But now leave this profitless heart-break and let us plan for the future." Our talk lasted late into the night, and by daybreak I was on my way to La Rochelle.