the place yourself, wouldn't you? You would like to keep a poor
girl from getting her own living? Oh, you may look as fierce as
you please--the time's gone by when a man could frighten _me_. I
like her Christian name. I call Emily a nice name enough. But
'Brown'! Good-morning, Mr. Morris; you and I are not cursed with
such a contemptibly common name as that! 'Brown'? Oh, Lord!"

She tossed her head scornfully, and walked away, humming a tune.

Alban stood rooted to the spot. The effort of his later life had
been to conceal the hopeless passion which had mastered him in
spite of himself. Knowing nothing from Emily--who at once pitied
and avoided him--of her family circumstances or of her future
plans, he had shrunk from making inquiries of others, in the fear
that they, too, might find out his secret, and that their
contempt might be added to the contempt which he felt for
himself. In this position, and with these obstacles in his way,
the announcement of Emily's proposed journey--under the care of a
stranger, to fill an employment in the house of a stranger--not
only took him by surprise, but inspired him with a strong feeling
of distrust. He looked after Sir Jervis Redwood's flighty
housekeeper, completely forgetting the purpose which had brought
him thus far on the way to his lodgings. Before Mrs. Rook was out
of sight, Alban Morris was following her back to the school.


CHAPTER VII.

"COMING EVENTS CAST THEIR SHADOWS BEFORE."