Stop?—Another step, and you are lost! There are women who can play this dangerous game with cool heads and cooler hearts: schooled in all the frigid indifference that would seem the birthright of a certain class, the secrets of their affections die with them; but you are not one of these. Born in what they would call an humbler, but I should call a far higher sphere, where the feelings are fresher and the emotions purer, you might chance to—fall in love!"

A faint smile, so faint that it conveyed no expression to her eyes, was Lady Kilgoff's acknowledgment of these last words.

"Have you finished, sir?" said she, as, after a pause of some seconds, he stood still.

"Not yet, madam," replied he, dryly.

"In that case, sir, would it not be as well to tell the man who is lingering yonder to leave this? except, perhaps, it may be your desire to have a witness to your words."

Linton started, and grew deadly pale; for he now perceived that the man must have been in the conservatory during the entire interview. Hastening round to where he stood, his fears were at once dispelled; for it was the Italian sailor, Giovanni, who, in the multiplicity of his accomplishments, was now assisting the gardener among the plants.

"It is of no consequence, madam," said he, returning; "the man is an Italian, who understands nothing of English."

"You are always fortunate, Mr. Linton," said she, with a deep emphasis on the pronoun.

"I have ceased to boast of my good luck for many a day."

"Having, doubtless, so many other qualities to be proud of," said she, with a malicious sparkle of her dark eyes.

"The question is now, madam, of one far more interesting than me."

"Can that be possible, sir? Is any one's welfare of such moment to his friends—to the world at large—as the high-minded, the honorable, the open-hearted Mr. Linton, who condescends, for the sake of a warning to his young friends, to turn gambler and ruin them; while he has the daring courage to single out a poor unprotected woman, without one who could rightly defend her, and, under the miserable mask of interest, to insult her?"

"Is it thus you read my conduct, madam?" said he, with an air at once sad and reproachful.

"Not altogether, Mr. Linton. Besides the ineffable pleasure of giving pain, I perceive that you are acquitting a debt,—the debt of hate you owe me; because—But I cannot descend to occupy the same level with you in this business. My reply to you is a very short one. Your insult to me must go unpunished; for, as you well know, I have not one to resent it. You have, however, introduced another name in this discussion; to that gentleman I will reveal all that you have said this day. The consequences may be what they will, I care not; I never provoked them. You best know, sir, how the reckoning will fare with you."

Linton grew pale, almost lividly so, while he bit his lip till the very blood came; then, suddenly recovering himself, he said: "I am not aware of having mentioned a name. I think your Ladyship must have been mistaken; but"—and here he laughed slightly—"you will scarce succeed in sowing discord between me and my old friend, Lord Charles Frobisher."

"Lord Charles Frobisher!" echoed she, almost stunned with the effrontery.

"You seem surprised, madam. I trust your Ladyship meant no other." The insolence of his manner, as he said this, left her unable for some minutes to reply, and when she did speak, it was with evident effort.

"I trust now, sir, that we have spoken for the last time together. I own—and it is, indeed, humiliation enough to own it—your words have deeply insulted me. I cannot deny you the satisfaction of knowing this; and yet, with all these things before me, I do not hate—I only despise you."

So saying, she moved towards the door; but Linton stepped forward, and said: "One instant, madam. You seem to forget that we are pledged to walk through the rooms; our amiable friends are doubtless looking for us."

"I will ask Mr. Cashel to be my chaperon another time," said she, carelessly, and, drawing her shawl around her, passed out, leaving Linton alone in the conservatory.

"Ay, by St Paul! the work goes bravely on," cried he, as soon as she had disappeared. "If she ruin not him and herself to boot, now, I am sore mistaken. The game is full of interest, and, if I had not so much in hand, would delight me."

With this brief soliloquy, he turned to where the Italian was standing, pruning an orange-tree.

"Have you learned any English yet, Giovanni?"

A slight but significant gesture of one finger gave the negative.

"No matter, your own soft vowels are in more request here. The dress I told you of is now come,—my servant will give it to you; so, be ready with your guitar, if the ladies wish for it, this evening."

Giovanni bowed respectfully, and went on with his work, and soon after Linton strolled into the garden to muse over the late scene.

Had any one been there to mark the signs of triumphant elation on his features, they would have seen the man in all the sincerity of his bold, bad heart. His success was perfect. Knowing well the proud nature of the young, high-spirited woman, thoroughly acquainted with her impatient temper and haughty character, he rightly foresaw that to tell her she had become the subject of a calumny was to rouse her pride to confront it openly. To whisper that the world would not admit of this or that, was to make her brave that world, or sink under the effort.

To sting her to such resistance was his wily game, and who knew better how to play it? The insinuated sneers at the class to which she had once belonged, as one not "patented" to assume the vices of their betters, was a deep and most telling hit; and he saw, when they separated, that her mind was made up, at any cost and every risk, to live down the slander by utter contempt of it Linton asked for no more. "Let her," said he to himself, "but enter the lists with the world for an adversary! I 'll give her all the benefits of the best motives,—as much purity of heart, and so forth, as she cares for; but, 'I 'll name the winner,' after all."

Too true. The worthy people who fancy that an innate honesty of purpose can compensate for all the breaches of conventional use, are like the volunteers of an army who refuse to wear its uniform, and are as often picked down by their allies as by their enemies.