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 'I am in great grief. It is dreadful to me to hear these things said, and as yet I have found no sympathy.'

'I can assure you, Mr. Mason, that I do sympathize with you most sincerely. I only wish my sympathy could be of more value.'

'It will be invaluable,' he said, not looking at her, but fixing his eyes upon the fire, 'if it be given with constancy from the first to the last of this sad affair.'

'It shall be so given,' said Miss Furnival, also looking at the fire.

'It will be tolerably long, and men will say cruel things of us. I can foresee this, that it will be very hard to prove to the world with certainty that there is no foundation whatever for these charges. If those who are now most friendly to us turn away from us—'

'I will never turn away from you, Mr. Mason.'

'Then give me your hand on that, and remember that such a promise in my ears means much.' He in his excitement had forgotten that there were others in the room who might be looking at them, and that there was a long vista open upon them direct from all the eyes at the card-table; but she did not forget it. Miss Furnival could be very enthusiastic, but she was one of those who in her enthusiasm rarely forgot anything. Nevertheless, after a moment's pause, she gave him her hand. 'There it is,' she said; 'and you may be sure of this, that with me also such a promise does mean something. And now I will say good night.' And so, having received the pressure of her hand, she left him.

'I will get you your candle,' he said, and so he did.

'Good night, papa,' she said, kissing her father. And then, with a slight muttered word to Lady Staveley, she withdrew, having sacrificed the remainder of that evening for the sake of acceding to Mr. Mason's request respecting her pledge. It could not be accounted strange that she should give her hand to the gentleman with whom she was immediately talking as she bade him good night.

'And now grandpapa is dead too,' said Marian, 'and there's nobody left but us three.'

'And we'll divide,' said Fanny Sebright; and so the game of commerce was brought to an end.