"What can have passed?" said Miss Torrington, looking almost as pale himself. "Much that has been very painful," he replied; "but I am ashamed at being thus overpowered by it. Tell me, both of you, without any reserve, have you ever thought--has the idea ever entered your heads, that my unfortunate mother was likely to marry Cartwright?" "No,--never," replied Helen firmly. "Yes," said Rosalind falteringly;--but less with the hesitation of doubt, than from fear of giving pain. "Lady Harrington told me it was spoken of," said Mowbray with a deep sigh. "It is impossible!" said Helen, "I cannot:--I will not believe it. Rosalind! if you have had such an idea, how comes it that you have kept it secret from me?" "If instead of darkly fearing it," replied Rosalind, "I had positively known it to be true, I doubt if I should have named it, Helen;--I could not have borne that words so hateful should have first reached the family from me." "Has she told you it is so?" inquired Helen, her lips so parched with agitation that she pronounced the words with difficulty. "No, dearest, she has not; and perhaps I am wrong both in conceiving such an idea, and in naming it. But her mind is so violently, so strangely wrought upon by this detestable man, that I can only account for it by believing that he is----" There was much filial piety in the feeling that prevented his finishing the sentence. "It is so that I have reasoned," said Rosalind. "Heaven grant that we be both mistaken!--But will you not tell us, Charles, what it is that has suggested the idea to you? For Heaven's sake relate, if you can, what has passed between you?" "If I can!--Indeed I doubt my power. She spoke of me as of one condemned of Heaven." Rosalind started from her seat.--"Do not go on, Mr. Mowbray!" she exclaimed with great agitation; "I cannot bear this, and meet her with such external observance and civility as my situation demands. It can do us no good to discuss this wicked folly,--this most sinful madness. I, at least, for one, feel a degree of indignation--a vehemence of irritation on the subject, that will not, I am sure, produce good to any of us. She must go on in the dreadful path in which she has lost herself, till she meet something that shall shock and turn her back again. But all that can be done or said by others will but drive her on the faster, adding the fervour of a martyr to that of a convert." "You speak like an oracle, dear Rosalind," said poor Mowbray, endeavouring to smile, and more relieved than he would have avowed to himself at being spared the task of narrating his downfall from supposed wealth to actual penury before her.