"Evelyn! Yes, Evelyn shall be saved; but the rest--the rest--why do you
turn away?"

"'You are not the poor artist, the wandering adventurer; you are the
high-born, the wealthy, the renowned Maltravers: Alice has nothing to
confer on you. You have won the love of Evelyn,--Alice cannot doom the
child confided to her care to hopeless affection; you love Evelyn,--Alice
cannot compare herself to the young and educated and beautiful creature,
whose love is a priceless treasure. Alice prays you not to grieve for
her; she will soon be content and happy in your happiness.' This is the
message."

"And what said you,--did you not tell her such words would break my
heart?"

"No matter what I said; I mistrust myself when I advise her. Her
feelings are truer than all our wisdom!"

Maltravers made no answer, and the curate saw him gliding rapidly away by
the starlit graves towards the village.



CHAPTER VII.

THINK you I can a resolution fetch
From flowery tenderness?--_Measure for Measure_.

THEY were on the road to Dover. Maltravers leaned back in the corner of
the carriage with his hat over his brows, though the morning was yet too