第91章

Foramomentshehesitated。Asuddenshudderingshookherfromheadtofoot——theforewarning，itmightbe，oftheinfluencewhichthatletter，savedfromdestructionbyahair’s-breadth，wasdestinedtoexerciseonherlifetocome。Sherecoveredherself，andfoldedhercloakclosertoher，asifshehadfeltapassingchill。

“No，“shesaid；“Iwillkeeptheletter。“

Shefoldeditandputitinthepocketofherdress。Thenturnedtogo——andstoppedatthedoor。

“Onethingmore，“sheadded。“DoyouknowMrs。Glenarm’spresentaddress？“

“Ye’reno’reelygoingtoMistressGlenarm？“

“Thatisnoconcernofyours。Youcananswermyquestionornot，asyouplease。“

“Eh，myleddy!yertemper’sno’whatitusedtobeintheauldtimesatthehottle。Aweel!aweel!yeha’gi’enmeyermoney，andI’lleengi’yebackgudemeasureforit，onmyside。MistressGlenarm’sawa’inprivate——incog，astheysay——toJaffrayDelamayn’sbritheratSwanhavenLodge。Yemayrelyontheinformation，andit’sno’thateasytocomeateither。They’vekeepititasecretastheythinkfroma’thewarld。Hech!hech!

TammyPennyquick’syoungestbuttwaispage-boyatthehoosewheretheleddy’sbeenveesitin’，ontheoutskirtso’Pairth。

Keepasecretifyecanfraethepawkyearso’yerdomesticsintheservants’hall!——Eh!she’saff，withoutawordatparting!“

heexclaimed，asAnnelefthimwithoutceremonyinthemiddleofhisdissertationonsecretsandservants’halls。“ItrowIha’

gaenoutforwool，andcomebackshorn，“headded，reflectinggrimlyonthedisastrousoverthrowofthepromisingspeculationonwhichhehadembarked。“Mycertie!therewasnaethingleftfor’t，whenmadam’sfingershadgrippitme，buttoslipthroughthemascannilyasIcould。What’sJaffray’smarrying，orno’

marrying，todowi’_her？_“hewondered，revertingtothequestionwhichAnnehadputtohimatparting。“Andwhar’sthesenseo’hererrand，ifshe’sreelybentonfindingherwaytoMistressGlenarm？“

Whateverthesenseofhererrandmightbe，Anne’snextproceedingprovedthatshewasreallybentonit。Afterrestingtwodays，sheleftPerthbythefirsttraininthemorning，forSwanhavenLodge。

JULIUSDELAMAYNwasalone，idlysaunteringtoandfro，withhisviolininhishand，ontheterraceatSwanhavenLodge。

Thefirstmellowlightofeveningwasinthesky。ItwasthecloseofthedayonwhichAnneSilvesterhadleftPerth。

Somehoursearlier，Juliushadsacrificedhimselftothedutiesofhispoliticalposition——asmadeforhimbyhisfather。Hehadsubmittedtothedirenecessityofdeliveringanorationtotheelectors，atapublicmeetingintheneighboringtownofKirkandrew。Adetestableatmospheretobreathe；adisorderlyaudiencetoaddress；insolentoppositiontoconciliate；imbecileinquiriestoanswer；brutishinterruptionstoendure；greedypetitionerstopacify；anddirtyhandstoshake：thesearethestagesbywhichtheaspiringEnglishgentlemaniscompelledtotravelonthejourneywhichleadshimfromthemodestobscurityofprivatelifetothegloriouspublicityoftheHouseofCommons。Juliuspaidthepreliminarypenaltiesofapoliticalfirstappearance，asexactedby