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for a moment； and spoke to her in a whisper。
〃One word； my dear； before you return to the ball…room。 It may sound
conceited； after the little you have told me； but I think I understand your
position _now_； better than you do yourself。 Do you want to hear my
opinion？〃
〃I am longing to hear it； Lucy！ I want your opinion； I want your
advice。〃
〃You shall have both in the plainest and fewest words。 First； my
opinion： You have no choice but to come to an explanation with Mr。
Wardour as soon as he returns。 Second； my advice： If you wish to make
the explanation easy to both sides； take care that you make it in the
character of a free woman。〃
She laid a strong emphasis on the last three words； and looked
pointedly at Francis Aldersley as she pronounced them。 〃I won't keep you
from your partner any longer； Clara；〃 she resumed； and led the way back
to the ball…room。
Chapter 3。
The burden on Clara's mind weighs on it more heavily than ever； after
what Mrs。 Crayford has said to her。 She is too unhappy to feel the
inspiriting influence of the dance。 After a turn round the room； she
complains of fatigue。 Mr。 Francis Aldersley looks at the conservatory （still
as invitingly cool and empty as ever）； leads her back to it； and places her
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on a seat among the shrubs。 She triesvery feeblyto dismiss him。
〃Don't let me keep you from dancing； Mr。 Aldersley。〃
He seats himself by her side； and feasts his eyes on the lovely
downcast face that dares not turn toward him。 He whispers to her：
〃Call me Frank。〃
She longs to call him Frankshe loves him with all her heart。 But Mrs。
Crayford's warning words are still in her mind。 She never opens her lips。
Her lover moves a little closer； and asks another favor。 Men are all alike
on these occasions。 Silence invariably encourages them to try again。
〃Clara！ have you forgotten what I said at the concert yesterday？ May I
say it again？〃
〃No！〃
〃We sail to…morrow for the Arctic seas。 I may not return for years。
Don't send me away without hope！ Think of the long； lonely time in the
dark North！ Make it a happy time for _me_。〃
Though he speaks with the fervor of a man； he is little more than a lad：
he is only twenty years old； and he is going to risk his young life on the
frozen deep！ Clara pities him as she never pitied any human creature
before。 He gently takes her hand。 She tries to release it。
〃What！ not even that little favor on the last night？〃
Her faithful heart takes his part； in spite of her。 Her hand remains in
his； and feels its soft persuasive pressure。 She is a lost woman。 It is only a
question of time now！
〃Clara！ do you love me？〃
There is a pause。 She shrinks from looking at himshe trembles with
strange contradictory sensations of pleasure and pain。 His arm steals round
her； he repeats his question in a whisper； his lips almost touch her little
rosy ear as he says it again：
〃Do you love me？〃
She closes her eyes faintlyshe hears nothing but those wordsfeels
nothing but his arm round her forgets Mrs。 Crayford's warningforgets
Richard Wardour himselfturns suddenly； with a loving woman's
desperate disregard of everything but her lovenestles her head on his
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bosom； and answers him in that way； at last！
He lifts the beautiful drooping headtheir lips meet in their first kiss
they are both in heaven： it is Clara who brings them back to earth again
with a startit is Clara who says； 〃Oh！ what have I done？〃as usual； when
it is too late。
Frank answers the question。
〃You have made me happy； my angel。 Now； when I come back； I come
back to make you my wife。〃
She shudders。 She remembers Richard Wardour again at those words。
〃Mind！〃 she says； 〃nobody is to know we are engaged till I permit you
to mention it。 Remember that！〃
He promises to remember it。 His arm tries to wind round her once
more。 No！ She is mistress of herself； she can positively dismiss him now
after she has let him kiss her！
〃Go！〃 she says。 〃I want to see Mrs。 Crayford。 Find her！ Say I am here；
waiting to speak to her。 Go at once； Frankfor my sake！〃
There is no alternative but to obey her。 His eyes drink a last draught of
her beauty。 He hurries away on his errandthe happiest man in the room。
Five minutes since she was only his partner in the dance。 He has spoken
and she has pledged herself to be his partner for life！
Chapter 4。
It was not easy to find Mrs。 Crayford in the crowd。 Searching here；
and searching there； Frank became conscious of a stranger； who appeared
to be looking for somebody； on his side。 He was a dark； heavy…browed；
strongly…built man； dressed in a shabby old naval officer's uniform。 His
mannerstrikingly resolute and self…containedwas unmistakably the
manner of a gentleman。 He wound his way slowly through the crowd；
stopping to look at every lady whom he passed； and then looking away
again with a frown。 Little by little he approached the conservatory
entered it； after a moment's reflectiondetected the glimmer of a white
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dress in the distance； through the shrubs and flowersadvanced to get a
nearer view of the ladyand burst into Clara's presence with a cry of
delight。
She sprang to her feet。 She stood before him speechless； motionless；
struck to stone。 All her life was in her eyesthe eyes which told her she
was looking at Richard Wardour。
He was the first to speak。
〃I am sorry I startled you； my darling。 I forgot everything but the
happiness of seeing you again。 We only reached our moorings two hours
since。 I was some time inquiring after you； and some time getting my
ticket when they told me you were at the ball。 Wish me joy； Clara！ I am
promoted。 I have come back to make you my wife。〃
A momentary change passed over the blank terror of her face。 Her
color rose faintly； her lips moved。 She abruptly put a question to him。
〃Did you get my letter？〃
He started。 〃A letter from you？ I never received it。〃
The momentary animation died out of her face again。 She drew back
from him and dropped into a chair。 He advanced toward her； astonished
and alarmed。 She shrank in the chairshrank； as if she was frightened of
him。
〃Clara； you have not even shaken hands with me！ What does it mean？〃
He paused； waiting and watching her。 She made no reply。 A flash of
the quick temper in him leaped up in his eyes。 He repeated his last words
in louder and sterner tones：
〃What does it mean？〃
She replied this time。 His tone had hurt herhis tone had roused her
sinking courage。
〃It means； Mr。 Wardour； that you have been mistaken from the first。〃
〃How have I been mistaken？〃
〃You have been under a wrong impression； and you have given me no
opportunity of setting you right。〃
〃In what way have I been wrong？〃
〃You have been too hasty and too confident about yourself and about
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me。 You have entirely misunderstood me。 I am grieved to distress you； but
for your sake I must speak plainly。 I am your friend always； Mr。 Wardour。 I
can never be your wife。〃
He mechanically repeated the last words。 He seemed to doubt whether
he had heard her aright。
〃You can never be my wife？〃
〃Never！〃
〃Why？〃
There was no answer。 She was incapable of telling him a falsehood。
She was ashamed to tell him the truth。
He stooped over her； and suddenly possessed himself of her hand。
Holding her hand firmly； he stooped a little lower； searching for the signs
which might answer him in her face。 His own face darkened slowly while
he looke