Let the Countess have due credit for still allowing Evan to visit Beckley Court to follow up his chance.  If Demogorgon betrayed her there, the Count was her protector:  a woman rises to her husband.  But a man is what he is, and must stand upon that.  She was positive Evan had committed himself in some manner.  As it did not suit her to think so, she at once encouraged an imaginary conversation, in which she took the argument that it was quite impossible Evan could have been so mad, and others instanced his youth, his wrongheaded perversity, his ungenerous disregard for his devoted sister, and his known weakness:  she replying, that undoubtedly they were right so far:  but that he could not have said he himself was that horrible thing, because he was nothing of the sort:  which faith in Evan’s stedfast adherence to facts, ultimately silenced the phantom opposition, and gained the day.

With admiration let us behold the Countess de Saldar alighting on the gravel sweep of Beckley Court, the footman and butler of the enemy bowing obsequious welcome to the most potent visitor Beckley Court has ever yet embraced.

The despatches of a general being usually acknowledged to be the safest sources from which the historian of a campaign can draw, I proceed to set forth a letter of the Countess de Saldar, forwarded to her sister, Harriet Cogglesby, three mornings after her arrival at Beckley Court; and which, if it should prove false in a few particulars, does nevertheless let us into the state of the Countess’s mind, and gives the result of that general’s first inspection of the field of action.  The Countess’s epistolary English does small credit to her Fallow field education; but it is feminine, and flows more than her ordinary speech.  Besides, leaders of men have always notoriously been above the honours of grammar.

’My dearest Harriet,

’Your note awaited me.  No sooner my name announced, than servitors in yellow livery, with powder and buckles started before me, and bowing one presented it on a salver.  A venerable butler—­most impressive! led the way.  In future, my dear, let it be de Saldar de Sancorvo.  That is our title by rights, and it may as well be so in England.  English Countess is certainly best.  Always put the de.  But let us be systematic, as my poor Silva says.  He would be in the way here, and had better not come till I see something he can do.  Silva has great reliance upon me.  The farther he is from Lymport, my dear!—­and imagine me, Harriet, driving through Fallow field to Beckley Court!  I gave one peep at Dubbins’s, as I passed.  The school still goes on.  I saw three little girls skipping, and the old swing-pole.  Seminary for young ladies as bright as ever!  I should have liked to have kissed the children and given them bonbons and a holiday.