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272 Lord Norbourne: "but I am too much occupied with one subject to be able to talk on any other." "What is it?" exclaimed Courtenaye: "I will, at least, promise to be an attentive listener." "That I do not doubt," replied his uncle, with a forced smile: "for I am going to talk about your marrying again." Norbourne coloured; and, after a moment's silence, said,— "This is a very painful subject. For both our sakes, might it not be avoided?" "No," returned the other; "the confidence that now exists between us, and to which I cling as the last happiness of my life, must be unbroken by even the shadow of a restraint. Would you wish it otherwise, Norbourne?" "My dearest uncle!" exclaimed his listener. "We shall feel more at ease," continued Lord Norbourne, "when each fully understands the feelings of the other. I have shrunk, I own, from the subject; but an interview that