Thus soliloquizing, he arrived at Madame di Negra's.

Now, in reality the marchesa's inquiries as to Lord Lansmere's family had
their source in the misguided, restless, despairing interest with which
she still clung to the image of the young poet, whom Randal had no reason
to suspect. That interest had become yet more keen from the impatient
misery she had felt ever since she had plighted herself to another. A
wild hope that she might yet escape, a vague regretful thought that she
had been too hasty in dismissing Leonard from her presence,--that she
ought rather to have courted his friendship, and contended against her
unknown rival,--at times drew her wayward mind wholly from the future to
which she had consigned herself. And, to do her justice, though her
sense of duty was so defective, and the principles which should have
guided her conduct were so lost to her sight, still her feelings towards
the generous Hazeldean were not so hard and blunted but what her own
ingratitude added to her torment; and it seemed as if the sole atonement
she could make to him was to find an excuse to withdraw her promise, and
save him from herself. She had caused Leonard's steps to be watched; she
had found that he visited at Lord Lansmere's; that he had gone there
often, and stayed there long. She had learned in the neighbourhood that
Lady Lansmere had one or two young female guests staying with her.
Surely this was the attraction--here was the rival!

Randal found Beatrice in a state of mind that answered his purpose; and
first turning his conversation on Harley, and noting that her countenance
did not change, by little and little he drew forth her secret.

Then said Randal, gravely, "If one whom you honour with a tender thought
visits at Lord Lansmere's house, you have, indeed, cause to fear for
yourself, to hope for your brother's success in the object which has