Emilia explained that she had heard it from his father.

The lady’s face lit up as from a sting of anger.  “Very well—­very well,” she said; and, presently, “You are right when you speak of the power of lying in men.  Observe—­Wilfrid told me that not one living creature knew there was question of an engagement between us.  What would you do in my case?”

Emilia replied, “Forgive him; and I should think no more of it.”

“Yes.  It would be right; and, presuming him to have the vice, I could be of immense service to him, if at least he does not lie habitually.  But this is a description of treachery, you know.”

“Oh!” cried Emilia, “what kind of treachery is that, if he only will keep his heart open for me to give all mine to it!”

She stood clutching her hands in the half-sobbing ecstasy which signalises a spiritual exaltation built on disquiet.  She had shown small emotion hitherto.  The sight of it was like the sight of a mighty hostile power to Lady Charlotte—­a power that moved her—­that challenged, and irritated, and subdued her.  For she saw there something that she had not; and being of a nature leaning to great-mindedness, though not of the first rank, she could not meanly mask her own deficiency by despising it.  To do this is the secret evil by which souls of men and women stop their growth.

Lady Charlotte decided now to say good-bye.  Her parting was friendly—­ the form of it consisting of a nod, an extension of the hand, and a kind word or two.

When alone, Emilia wondered why she kept taking long breaths, and tried to correct herself:  but the heart laboured.  Yet she seemed to have no thought in her mind; she had no active sensation of pity or startled self-love.  She went to smooth Mr. Pole’s pillow, as to a place of forgetfulness.  The querulous tyrannies of the invalid relieved her; but the heavy lifting of her chest returned the moment she was alone.  She mentioned it to the doctor, who prescribed for liver, informing her that the said organ conducted one of the most important functions of her bodily system.

Emilia listened to the lecturer, and promised to take his medicine, trusting to be perfectly quieted by the nauseous draught; but when Mr. Powys came, she rushed up to him, and fell with a cry upon his breast, murmuring broken words that Georgiana might fairly interpret as her suspicions directed.  Nor had she ever seen Merthyr look as he did when their eyes next met.

CHAPTER XXIX

The card of Mr. Powys found Arabella alone in the house.  Mrs. Lupin was among village school-children; Mrs. Chump had gone to London to see whether anything was known of Mr. Pole at his office, where she fell upon the youth Braintop, and made him her own for the day.  Adela was out in the woods, contemplating nature; and Cornelia was supposed to be walking whither her stately fancy drew her.