of mind, inquiring when you would be back. Her husband has left
Lord Montbarry, without a word of warning--and nobody knows what has
become of him.'

Agnes looked at her in astonishment. 'Are you sure of what you
are saying?' she asked.

The nurse was quite sure. 'Why, Lord bless you! the news comes
from the couriers' office in Golden Square--from the secretary,
Miss Agnes, the secretary himself!' Hearing this, Agnes began to feel
alarmed as well as surprised. It was still early in the evening.
She at once sent a message to Mrs. Ferrari, to say that she
had returned.

In an hour more the courier's wife appeared, in a state of agitation
which it was not easy to control. Her narrative, when she was at last
able to speak connectedly, entirely confirmed the nurse's report of it.

After hearing from her husband with tolerable regularity from Paris,
Rome, and Venice, Emily had twice written to him afterwards--
and had received no reply. Feeling uneasy, she had gone to the office
in Golden Square, to inquire if he had been heard of there.
The post of the morning had brought a letter to the secretary from
a courier then at Venice. It contained startling news of Ferrari.
His wife had been allowed to take a copy of it, which she now handed to
Agnes to read.

The writer stated that he had recently arrived in Venice.
He had previously heard that Ferrari was with Lord and Lady Montbarry,
at one of the old Venetian palaces which they had hired for a term.