it might be the blood of kings and heroes, put its possessor on a level with the lowest of Europeans, or rather put him apart as something little higher than a brute.  She knew this; but to-night she would not think of it.  She would only see what she liked; and for the first time began to weave impossible fabrics of hope and happiness.  Where was he, her one lover, for she thought of no other?  She had no fear of a rival with him, not even of that Lady Adeliza, of whom she had heard, and whom she had once feared.  Now she knew that he really had loved her, and feared nothing; for even supposing that he would in time forget her, love had not had time to change yet.  And need it change at all?  She and her mother were going by-and-by to Europe, and there they might meet.  Who could tell?

But all these things which have taken so long to say took but a few minutes to think; and of the three who sat together, neither would have guessed how long a train of ideas passed through the brains of the others in the interval of their talk.  Mrs. Costello was the first to rouse herself.

“You do not yet know,” she said to Mr. Strafford, “what my plans for to-morrow are.  I meant to ask you to go with me to the jail, and Mr. Leigh has kindly offered to join us.”

“You have quite decided, then, to let everybody know?”

“I had quite decided; and now, even if I still wished to keep the secret, it is too late.”

“Why?”

“I have already told Mr. Leigh and his son; and besides that, Mr. Bellairs and Mrs. Elton must both have wondered why I should be more excited by what we heard to-day than anybody else.”

“That is true; but, from what you have told me, I had begun to doubt whether you need acknowledge your relationship.  It seems by no means certain now that to do so would be of much benefit to Christian.”

“It would give me the right to be with him constantly.  We have made up our minds, both Lucia and I, as to what we are to do.  Don’t, please, try to alter our plans.”

“I hesitate,” he answered, “only because you have already suffered so much, and I fear the excitement for you.”

“All the excitement possible on that subject is over.  You will see that I shall take what has to come yet quietly enough.  And I am certain that you will not tell me that a wife is excusable if she neglects a dying husband.”

“Assuredly not.  You will be glad to have Mr. Leigh with you?”

“For some things, yes.  Yesterday I thought that there was no one whose presence could have been such a comfort to me; for, except himself, our greatest friends here are, as you know, the nearest connections of Dr. Morton; so that till this confession, which has done so much for us, I could not have asked for sympathy or help from them.”

“No; but now they would give it readily enough if they knew.  What do you think of going first to Mrs. Bellairs, or asking her to come to you?  It seems to me that, if that were not the most comfortable thing for you, it would be for Lucia.”