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of the blazing picture that arrested our eyes before bedtime。
Emotions would be half starved if there were no candle…light。
Probably nine…tenths of the gushing letters of indiscreet confession
are written after nine or ten o'clock in the evening； and sent off
before day returns to leer invidiously upon them。 Few that remain
open to catch our glance as we rise in the morning； survive the
frigid criticism of dressing…time。
The subjects uppermost in the minds of the two women who had thus
cooled from their fires； were not the visionary ones of the later
hours； but the hard facts of their earlier conversation。 After a
remark that Cytherea need not assist her in dressing unless she
wished to； Miss Aldclyffe said abruptly
'I can tell that young man's name。' She looked keenly at Cytherea。
'It is Edward Springrove； my tenant's son。'
The inundation of colour upon the younger lady at hearing a name
which to her was a world； handled as if it were only an atom； told
Miss Aldclyffe that she had divined the truth at last。
'Ahit is he； is it？' she continued。 'Well； I wanted to know for
practical reasons。 His example shows that I was not so far wrong in
my estimate of men after all； though I only generalized； and had no
thought of him。' This was perfectly true。
'What do you mean？' said Cytherea； visibly alarmed。
'Mean？ Why that all the world knows him to be engaged to be
married； and that the wedding is soon to take place。' She made the
remark bluntly and superciliously； as if to obtain absolution at the
hands of her family pride for the weak confidences of the night。
But even the frigidity of Miss Aldclyffe's morning mood was overcome
by the look of sick and blank despair which the carelessly uttered
words had produced upon Cytherea's face。 She sank back into a
chair； and buried her face in her hands。
'Don't be so foolish；' said Miss Aldclyffe。 'Come； make the best of
it。 I cannot upset the fact I have told you of； unfortunately。 But
I believe the match can be broken off。'
'O no； no。'
'Nonsense。 I liked him much as a youth； and I like him now。 I'll
help you to captivate and chain him down。 I have got over my absurd
feeling of last night in not wanting you ever to go away from meof
course； I could not expect such a thing as that。 There； now I have
said I'll help you； and that's enough。 He's tired of his first
choice now that he's been away from home for a while。 The love that
no outer attack can frighten away quails before its idol's own
homely ways； it is always so。 。 。 。 Come； finish what you are doing
if you are going to； and don't be a little goose about such a
trumpery affair as that。'
'Whois he engaged to？' Cytherea inquired by a movement of her lips
but no sound of her voice。 But Miss Aldclyffe did not answer。 It
mattered not； Cytherea thought。 Another womanthat was enough for
her： curiosity was stunned。
She applied herself to the work of dressing； scarcely knowing how。
Miss Aldclyffe went on：
'You were too easily won。 I'd have made him or anybody else speak
out before he should have kissed my face for his pleasure。 But you
are one of those precipitantly fond things who are yearning to throw
away their hearts upon the first worthless fellow who says good…
morning。 In the first place； you shouldn't have loved him so
quickly： in the next； if you must have loved him off…hand； you
should have concealed it。 It tickled his vanity： 〃By Jove； that
girl's in love with me already！〃 he thought。'
To hasten away at the end of the toilet； to tell Mrs。 Morriswho
stood waiting in a little room prepared for her； with tea poured
out； bread…and…butter cut into diaphanous slices； and eggs arranged…
…that she wanted no breakfast： then to shut herself alone in her
bedroom； was her only thought。 She was followed thither by the
well…intentioned matron with a cup of tea and one piece of bread…
and…butter on a tray； cheerfully insisting that she should eat it。
To those who grieve； innocent cheerfulness seems heartless levity。
'No； thank you； Mrs。 Morris；' she said； keeping the door closed。
Despite the incivility of the action； Cytherea could not bear to let
a pleasant person see her face then。
Immediate revocationeven if revocation would be more effective by
postponementis the impulse of young wounded natures。 Cytherea
went to her blotting…book； took out the long letter so carefully
written； so full of gushing remarks and tender hints； and sealed up
so neatly with a little seal bearing 'Good Faith' as its motto； tore
the missive into fifty pieces； and threw them into the grate。 It
was then the bitterest of anguishes to look upon some of the words
she had so lovingly written； and see them existing only in mutilated
forms without meaningto feel that his eye would never read them；
nobody ever know how ardently she had penned them。
Pity for one's self for being wasted is mostly present in these
moods of abnegation。
The meaning of all his allusions； his abruptness in telling her of
his love； his constraint at first； then his desperate manner of
speaking； was clear。 They must have been the last flickerings of a
conscience not quite dead to all sense of perfidiousness and
fickleness。 Now he had gone to London： she would be dismissed from
his memory； in the same way as Miss Aldclyffe had said。 And here
she was in Edward's own parish； reminded continually of him by what
she saw and heard。 The landscape； yesterday so much and so bright
to her； was now but as the banquet…hall desertedall gone but
herself。
Miss Aldclyffe had wormed her secret out of her； and would now be
continually mocking her for her trusting simplicity in believing
him。 It was altogether unbearable： she would not stay there。
She went downstairs and found Miss Aldclyffe had gone into the
breakfast…room； but that Captain Aldclyffe； who rose later with
increasing infirmities； had not yet made his appearance。 Cytherea
entered。 Miss Aldclyffe was looking out of the window； watching a
trail of white smoke along the distant landscapesignifying a
passing train。 At Cytherea's entry she turned and looked inquiry。
'I must tell you now；' began Cytherea； in a tremulous voice。
'Well； what？' Miss Aldclyffe said。
'I am not going to stay with you。 I must go awaya very long way。
I am very sorry； but indeed I can't remain！'
'Poohwhat shall we hear next？' Miss Aldclyffe surveyed Cytherea's
face with leisurely criticism。 'You are breaking your heart again
about that worthless young Springrove。 I knew how it would be。 It
is as Hallam says of Julietwhat little reason you may have
possessed originally has all been whirled away by this love。 I
shan't take this notice； mind。'
'Do let me go！'
Miss Aldclyffe took her new pet's hand； and said with severity； 'As
to hindering you； if you are determined to go； of course that's
absurd。 But you are not now in a state of mind fit for deciding
upon any such proceeding； and I shall not listen to what you have to
say。 Now； Cythie； come with me； we'll let this volcano burst and
spend itself； and after that we'll see what had better be done。'
She took Cytherea into her workroom； opened a drawer； and drew forth
a roll of linen。
'This is some embroidery I began one day； and now I should like it
finished。'
She then preceded the maiden upstairs to Cytherea's own room。
'There；' she said； 'now sit down here； go on with this work； and
remember one thingthat you are not to leave the room on any
pretext whatever for two hours unless I send for youI insist
kindly； dear。 Whilst you stitchyou are to stitch； recollect； and
not go mooning out of the windowthink over the whole matter； and
get cooled； don't let the foolish love…affair prevent your thinking
as a woman of the world。 If at the end of that time you still say
you must leave me； you may。 I will have no more to say in the
matter。 Come； sit down； and promise to sit here the time I name。'
To hearts in a despairing mood； compulsion seems a relief； and
docility was at all times natural to Cytherea。 She promised； and
sat down。 Miss Aldclyffe shut the door upon her and retreated。
She sewed； stopped to think； shed a tear or two； recollected the
articles of the treaty； and sewed again； and at length fell into a
reverie which took no account whatever of the lapse of time。
4。 TEN TO TWELVE O'CLOCK A。M。
A quarter of an hour might have passed when her thoughts became
attracted from the past to the present by unwonted movements
downstairs。 She opened the door and listened。
There were hurryings along passages； opening and shutting of doors；
trampling in the stable…yard。 She went across into another bedroom；
from which a view of the stable…yard could be obtained； and arrived
there just in time to see the figure of the man who had driven her
from the station vanishing down the coach…road on a black horse
galloping at the top of the animal's speed。
Another man went off in the direction of the village。
Whatever had occurred； it did not seem to be her duty to inquire or
meddle with it； stranger and dependent as she was； unless she were
requested to； especially after Miss Aldclyffe's strict charge to
h