‘Pretty well, among us all.’

’What an odd amusement it seems, going out to commit wholesale slaughter.  However it is the proper thing no doubt.’

‘Quite the proper thing,’ said Lord Silverbridge, and that was all.

On the next morning he dressed himself for shooting,—­and then sent out the party without him.  He had heard, he said, of a young horse for sale in the neighbourhood, and had sent to desire that it might be brought to him.  And now he found his occasion.

‘Come and play a game of billiards,’ he said to Isabel, as the three girls with the other ladies were together in the drawing-room.  She got up very slowly from her seat, and very slowly crept away to the door.  Then she looked round as though expecting the others to follow her.  None of them did follow her.  Mary felt that she ought to do so; but, knowing all that she knew, did not dare.  And what good could she have done by one such interruption?  Lady Mabel would fain have gone too;—­but neither did she quite dare.  Had there been no special reason why she should or should not have gone with them, the thing would have been easy enough.  When two people go to play billiards, a third may surely accompany them.  But now, Lady Mabel found that she could not stir.  Mrs Finn, Mrs Boncassen, and Miss Cassewary were all in the room, but none of them moved.  Silverbridge led the way quickly across the hall, and Isabel Boncassen followed him very slowly.  When she entered the room she found him standing with a cue in his hand.  He at once shut the door, and walking up to her dropped the butt of the cue on the floor and spoke one word.  ‘Well!’ he said.

‘What does “Well” mean?’

‘The three months are over.’

‘Certainly the are “over".’ 
‘And I have been a model of patience.’

’Perhaps your patience is more remarkable than your constancy.  Is not Lady Mabel Grex in the ascendant just now?’

’What do you mean by that?  Why do you ask that?  You told me to wait for three months.  I have waited, and here I am.’

‘How very—­very—­downright you are.’

‘Is it not the proper thing?’

’I thought I was downright,—­but you beat me hollow.  Yes, the three months are over.  And now what have you got to say?’ He put down his cue, stretched out his arms as though he were going to take her and hold her to his heart.  ‘No;—­no, not that,’ she said laughing.  ‘But if you will speak, I will hear you.’

‘You know what I said before.  Will you love me, Isabel?’

’And you know what I said before.  Do they know you love me?  Does your father know it, and your sister?  Why did they ask me to come here?’

’Nobody knows it.  But say that you love me, and everyone shall know it at once.  Yes, one person knows it.  Why did you mention Lady Mabel’s name?  She knows it.’

‘Did you tell her?’

’Yes, I went again to Killancodlem after you were gone, and then I told her.’