As soon therefore as he learned that Legard had left Paris, he thought
himself safe for a while in that quarter, and surrendered his thoughts
wholly to his ambitious projects. Perhaps, too, with the susceptible
vanity of a middle-aged man, who has had his _bonnes fortunes_, Lumley
deemed, with Rousseau, that a lover, pale and haggard--just raised from
the bed of suffering--is more interesting to friendship than attractive
to love. He and Rousseau were, I believe, both mistaken; but that is a
matter of opinion: they both thought very coarsely of women,--one from
having no sentiment, and the other from having a sentiment that was but a
disease. At length, just as Lumley was sufficiently recovered to quit
his house, to appear at his office, and declare that his illness had
wonderfully improved his constitution, intelligence from Paris, the more
startling from being wholly unexpected, reached him. From Caroline he
learned that Maltravers had proposed to Evelyn, and been accepted. From
Maltravers himself he heard the confirmation of the news. The last
letter was short, but kind and manly. He addressed Lord Vargrave as
Evelyn's guardian; slightly alluded to the scruples he had entertained
till Lord Vargrave's suit was broken off; and feeling the subject too
delicate for a letter, expressed a desire to confer with Lumley
respecting Evelyn's wishes as to certain arrangements in her property.

And for this was it that Lumley had toiled! for this had he visited Lisle
Court! and for this had he been stricken down to the bed of pain! Was it
only to make his old rival the purchaser, if he so pleased it, of the
possessions of his own family? Lumley thought at that moment less of
Evelyn than of Lisle Court. As he woke from the stupor and the first fit
of rage into which these epistles cast him, the recollection of the story
he had heard from Mr. Onslow flashed across him. Were his suspicions
true, what a secret he would possess! How fate might yet befriend him!
Not a moment was to be lost. Weak, suffering as he still was, he ordered