The Three Brides

'Am I untrue? I never thought of that. I thought I should be sacrificing myself for his good!'

'His good? O, Lenore, I believe it is the worst wrong a woman can do a man, to let him think he has wasted his heart upon her, and that she is trifling with him. You don't know what a bad effect this is having, even on his prospects. He cannot get his brain or spirits free to work for his examination.'

'How hard it is to know what is right! Here have I been thinking that what made me so miserable must be the best for him, and would it not make it all the worse to relax, and let him see?'

'I do not think so,' returned Jenny. 'His spirits would not be worn by doubt of you- the worst doubt of all: and he would feel that he had something to strive for.'

Eleonora walked on for some steps in silence, then exclaimed, 'Yes, but there's his family. It would only stir up trouble for them there. They can't approve of me.'

'They don't know you. When they do, they will. Now they only see what looks like-forgive me, Lena-caprice and coquetry; they will know you in earnest, if you will let them.'

'You don't mean that they know anything about it!' exclaimed Eleonora.

Jenny almost laughed. 'Not know where poor Frank's heart is? You don't guess how those sons live with their mother!'

'I suppose I have forgotten what sincerity and openness are,' said Eleonora, sadly. 'But is not she very much vexed?'

'She was vexed to find it had gone so deep with him,' said Jenny; 'but I know that you can earn her affection and trust by being staunch and true yourself-and it is worth having, Lena!'

For Jenny knew Eleonora of old, through Emily's letters, and had no doubt of her rectitude, constancy, and deep principle, though she was at the present time petrified by constant antagonism to such untruthfulness as, where it cannot corrupt, almost always hardens those who come in contact with it. And this cruel idea of self- sacrifice was, no doubt, completing the indurating process.

Jenny knew the terrible responsibility of giving such advice. She had not done it lightly. She had been feeling for years past that ''Tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all;' and she knew that uncertainty of the right to love and trust would have been a pang beyond all she had suffered. To give poor Eleonora, situated as she now was, admission to the free wholesome atmosphere of the Charnock family, was to her kind heart irresistible; and it was pleasant to feel the poor girl clinging to her, as people do to those who have given the very counsel the heart craved for.

It was twilight when the walk was over, and the drawing-room was empty; but Anne came to invite them to Mrs. Poynsett's tea, saying that Cecil had Lady Tyrrell in her own sitting-room. Perhaps Mrs. Poynsett had not realized who was Jenny's companion, for she seemed startled at their entrance; and Jenny said, 'You remember Lenore Vivian?'

'I must have seen you as a child,' said Mrs. Poynsett, courteously. 'You are very like your sister.'

This, though usually a great compliment, disappointed Eleonora, as she answered, rather frigidly, 'So people say.'

'Have you walked far?'

'To the Outwood Lodge.'

'To-day? Was it not very damp in the woods?'

'Oh no, delightful!'

'Lena and I are old friends,' said Jenny; 'too glad to meet to heed the damp.'

Here Raymond entered, with the air of a man who had just locked up a heavy post-bag at the last possible moment; and he too was amazed, though he covered it by asking why the party was so small.

'Rosamond has gone to meet her husband, and Cecil has her guest in her own domains.'

Then Jenny asked after his day's work-a county matter, interesting to all the magistracy, and their womankind in their degree; and Eleonora listened in silence, watching with quiet heedfulness Frank's mother and brother.

When Frank himself came in, his face was a perfect study; and the colour mantled in her cheeks, so that Jenny trusted that both were touched by the wonderful beauty that a little softness and timidity brought out on the features, usually so resolutely on guard. But when, in the later evening, Jenny crept in to her old friend, hoping to find that the impression had been favourable, she only heard, 'Exactly like her sister, who always had the making of a fine countenance.'

'The mask-yes, but Lena has the spirit behind the mask. Poor girl! she is not at all happy in the atmosphere her sister has brought home.'

'Then I wish they would marry her!'

'Won't you believe how truly nice and good she is?'

'That will not make up for the connection. My heart sank, Jenny, from the time I heard that those Vivians were coming back. I kept Frank away as long as I could-but there's no help for it. It seems the fate of my boys to be the prey of those sirens.'

'Well, then, dear Mrs. Poynsett, do pray believe, on my word, that Eleonora is a different creature!'

'Is there no hope of averting it? I thought Camilla would-poor Frank is such insignificant game!'

'And when it does come, don't be set against her, please, dear Mrs. Poynsett. Be as kind to her-as you were to me,' whispered Jenny, nestling up, and hiding her face.

'My dear, but I knew you! You were no such case.'

'Except that you all were horribly vexed with us, because we couldn't help liking each other,' said Jenny.

'Ah! my poor child! I only wish you could have liked any one else!'

'Do you?' said Jenny, looking up. 'Oh no, you don't! You would not have me for your supplementary child, if I had,' she added playfully; then very low-'It is because the thought of dear Archie, even ending as it did, is my very heart's joy, that I want you to let them have theirs!'

And then came a break, which ended the pleading; and Jenny was obliged to leave Compton without much notion as to the effect of her advice, audacious as she knew it to have been.

CHAPTER XIV. Neither Land Nor Water

A light that never was on sea or land.-WORDSWORTH

Nothing could be prettier than Rosamond's happiness in welcoming her school-boy brothers, and her gratitude to Mrs. Poynsett for inviting them, declaring that she liked boys. Her sons, however, dreaded the inroad of two wild Irish lads, and held council what covers and what horses could most safely be victimized to them, disregarding all testimony in their favour from interested parties. When, therefore, Terence and Thomas de Lancey made their appearance, and were walked in for exhibition by their proud and happy sister, there was some surprise at the sight of two peculiarly refined, quiet boys, with colourless complexions, soft, sleepy, long-lashed, liquid brown eyes, the lowest of full voices, and the gentlest of manners, as if nothing short of an explosion could rouse them.

And it was presently manifest that their sister had said rather too little than too much of Terry's abilities. Not only had he brought home a huge pile of prizes, but no sooner was the seance after dinner broken up, than he detained Julius, saying, in a very meek and modest tone, 'Rose says you know all the books in the library.'

'Rose undertakes a great deal for me. What is this the prelude to?'

'I wanted to ask if I might just look at any book about the physical geography of Italy, or the History of Venice, or the Phoenicians.'

'Why, Terry?'

'It is for the Prize Essay,' explained the boy; 'the subject is the effect of the physical configuration of a country upon the character of a nation.'

Julius drew a long breath, astounded at the march of intellect since his time. 'They don't expect such things of fellows like you!' he said.

'Only of the sixth, but the fifth may go in for it, and I want to get up to the Doctor himself; I thought, as I was coming to such a jolly library, I might try; and if I do pretty well, I shall be put up, if any more fellows leave. Do you think I may use the books? I'm librarian, so I know how to take care of them.'

'You can be trusted for that, you book-worm,' said Julius; 'here's the library, but I fear I don't know much about those modern histories. My mother is a great reader, and will direct us. Let us come to her.'

Quiet as Terry was, he was neither awkward nor shy; and when Julius had explained his wishes, and Mrs. Poynsett had asked a few good-natured questions, she was charmed as well as surprised at the gentle yet eager