to herself. Her brow contracted as his name was announced, and the maid-
servant lighted the candle on the table, stirred the fire, and gave a tug
at the curtains. Her eye, glancing from his, round the mean room, with
its dingy horsehair furniture, involuntarily implied the contrast between
the past state and the present, which his sight could scarcely help to
impress on her. But she welcomed him with her usual stately composure,
and without reference to what had been. Dalibard was secretly anxious to
discover if she suspected himself of any agency in the detection of the
eventful letter; and assured by her manner that no such thought was yet
harboured, he thought it best to imitate her own reserve. He assumed,
however, a manner that, far more respectful than he ever before observed
to his pupil, was nevertheless sufficiently kind and familiar to restore
them gradually to their old footing; and that he succeeded was apparent,
when, after a pause, Lucretia said abruptly: "How did Sir Miles St. John
discover my correspondence with Mr. Mainwaring?"

"Is it possible that you are ignorant? Ah, how--how should you know it?"
And Dalibard so simply explained the occurrence, in which, indeed, it was
impossible to trace the hand that had moved springs which seemed so
entirely set at work by an accident, that despite the extreme
suspiciousness of her nature, Lucretia did not see a pretence for
accusing him. Indeed, when he related the little subterfuge of Gabriel,
his attempt to save her by taking the letter on himself, she felt
thankful to the boy, and deemed Gabriel's conduct quite in keeping with
his attachment to herself. And this accounted satisfactorily for the
only circumstance that had ever troubled her with a doubt,--namely, the
legacy left to Gabriel. She knew enough of Sir Miles to be aware that he
would be grateful to any one who had saved the name of his niece, even
while most embittered against her, from the shame attached to clandestine
correspondence.