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Rh to future family retrospections respecting which Lord Alston had spoken with so much knowledge of the world. As it was, her manner was so caressing and affectionate to her guest, that she did much more to promote Sir Peregrine's wishes than to oppose them. 'Well, dear,' she said, with her sweetest smile.

'I am so sorry that I have driven your son away.'

'He was going. Besides, it would make no matter; he would stay here all night sometimes, if I didn't drive him away myself. He comes here and writes his letters at the most unconscionable hours, and uses up all my note-paper in telling some horsekeeper what is to be done with his mare.'

'Ah, how happy you must be to have him!'

'Well, I suppose I am,' she said, as a tear came into her eyes. 'We are so hard to please. I am all anxiety now that he should be married; and if he were married, then I suppose I should grumble because I did not see so much of him. He would be more settled if he would marry, I think. For myself I approve of early marriages for young men.' And then she thought of her own husband whom she had loved so well and lost so soon. And so they sat silent for a while, each thinking of her own lot in life.

'But I must not keep you up all night,' said Lady Mason.

'Oh, I do so like you to be here,' said the other. Then again she took hold of her arm, and the two women kissed each other.

'But, Edith,' said the other, 'I came in here to-night with a purpose. I have something that I wish to say to you. Can you listen to me?'

'Oh yes,' said Mrs. Orme; 'surely.'

'Has your son been talking to you about—about what was said between him and me the other day? I am sure he has, for I know he tells you everything,—as he ought to do.'

'Yes, he did speak to me,' said Mrs. Orme, almost trembling with anxiety.

'I am so glad, for now it will be easier for me to tell you. And since that I have seen Mr. Furnival, and he says the same. I tell you because you are so good and so loving to me. I will keep nothing from you; but you must not tell Sir Peregrine that I talked to Mr. Furnival about this.'

Mrs. Orme gave the required promise, hardly thinking at the moment whether or no she would be guilty of any treason against Sir Peregrine in doing so.

'I think I should have said nothing to him, though he is so very old a friend, had not Mr. Orme'

'You mean Peregrine?'

'Yes; had not he been so—so earnest about it. He told me that if I married Sir Peregrine I should be doing a cruel injury to him—to his grandfather.'