or apparently, perusing its contents. In a little while Milicent announced it her intention to repair to the nursery, and asked if I would accompany her.
`Annabella will excuse us,' said she, `she's busy reading.'
`No, I won't,' cried Annabella, suddenly looking-up and throwing her book on the table. `I want to speak to Helen a minute. You may go Milicent, and she'll follow in a while.' (Milicent went.) `Will you oblige me, Helen?' continued she.
Her impudence astounded me; but I complied, and followed her into the library. She closed the door, and walked up to the fire.
`Who fold you this?' said she.
`No one: I am not incapable of seeing for myself.'
`Ah, you are suspicious!' cried she, smiling with a' gleam of hop-- hitherto, there had been a kind of desperation in her hardihood; now she was evidently relieved.
`if I were suspicious,' I replied, `I should have discovered your infamy long before. No, Lady Lowborough, I do not found my charge upon suspicion.'
`On what do you found it then?' said she, throwing herself into an arm-chair, and stretching out her feet to the fender, with an obvious effort to appear composed.
`I enjoy a moonlight ramble as well as you,' I answered, steadily fixing my eyes upon her: `and the shrubbery happens to be one of my favourite resorts.
She coloured again, excessively, and remained silent, pressing her finger against her teeth, and gazing into the fire. I watched her a few moments with a feeling of malevolent gratification; then, moving towards the door, I calmly asked if she had anything more to say.
`Yes, yes!' cried she eagerly, starting up from her reclining posture. `I want to know if you will tell Lord Lowborough?'
`Suppose I do?'
`Well, if you are disposed to publish the matter, I cannot dissuade you, of course--but there will be terrible work if you do--and if you don't, I shall think you the most generous of mortal beings--and if there is anything in the world I can do for you--anything short of--' she hesitated.
`Short of renouncing your guilty connection with my husband, I suppose you mean, said I.
She paused, in evident disconcertion and perplexity, mingled with anger she dared not show.
`I cannot renounce what is dearer than life,' she muttered in a low, hurried tone. Then, suddenly raising her head and fixing her gleaming eyes upon me, she continued earnestly, `But Helen--or Mrs. Huntingdon, or whatever you would have me call you--will you tell him? If you are generous, here is a fitting opportunity for the exercise of your magnanimity: if you are proud, here am I--your rival--ready to acknowledge myself your debtor for an act of the most noble forbearance.'
`I shall not tell him.'
`You will not!' cried she delightedly. `Accept my sincere thanks, then!'
She sprang up, and offered me her hand. I drew back.