第92章

“Hewasillatthetime，“Juliusanswered。“AndhehadbeenthinkingofeventsinhispastlifewithwhichIamentirelyunacquainted。Hesaidhehadknownyourfatherandmother。Hedesiredme，ifyouwereeverinwantofanyassistance，toplacemyservicesatyourdisposal。Whenheexpressedthatwish，hespokeveryearnestly——hegavemetheimpressionthattherewasafeelingofregretassociatedwiththerecollectionsonwhichhehadbeendwelling。“

Slowly，andinsilence，Annedrewbacktothelowwalloftheterracecloseby。Sherestedonehandonittosupportherself。

Juliushadsaidwordsofterribleimportwithoutasuspicionofwhathehaddone。NeveruntilnowhadAnneSilvesterknownthatthemanwhohadbetrayedherwasthesonofthatothermanwhosediscoveryoftheflawinthemarriagehadendedinthebetrayalofhermotherbeforeher。Shefelttheshockoftherevelationwithachillofsuperstitiousdread。Wasthechainofafatalitywoundinvisiblyroundher？Turnwhichwayshemightwasshestillgoingdarklyon，inthetrackofherdeadmother，toanappointedandhereditarydoom？Presentthingspassedfromherviewastheawfuldoubtcastitsshadowoverhermind。Shelivedagainforamomentinthetimewhenshewasachild。Shesawthefaceofhermotheroncemore，withthewandespaironitofthebygonedayswhenthetitleofwifewasdeniedher，andthesocialprospectwasclosedforever。

Juliusapproached，androusedher。

“CanIgetyouanything？“heasked。“Youarelookingveryill。I

hopeIhavesaidnothingtodistressyou？“

Thequestionfailedtoattractherattention。Sheputaquestionherselfinsteadofansweringit。

“Didyousayyouwerequiteignorantofwhatyourfatherwasthinkingofwhenhespoketoyouaboutme？“

“Quiteignorant。“

“Isyourbrotherlikelytoknowmoreaboutitthanyoudo？“

“Certainlynot。“

Shepaused，absorbedoncemoreinherownthoughts。Startled，onthememorabledaywhentheyhadfirstmet，byGeoffrey’sfamilyname，shehadputthequestiontohimwhethertherehadnotbeensomeacquaintancebetweentheirparentsinthepasttime。

Deceivingherinallelse，hehadnotdeceivedinthis。Hehadspokeningoodfaith，whenhehaddeclaredthathehadneverheardherfatherorhermothermentionedathome。

ThecuriosityofJuliuswasaroused。Heattemptedtoleadheronintosayingmore。

“Youappeartoknowwhatmyfatherwasthinkingofwhenhespoketome，“heresumed。“MayIask——“

Sheinterruptedhimwithagestureofentreaty。

“Praydon’task!It’spastandover——itcanhavenointerestforyou——ithasnothingtodowithmyerrandhere。Imustreturn，“

shewenton，hurriedly，“tomyobjectintrespassingonyourkindness。Haveyouheardmementioned，Mr。Delamayn，byanothermemberofyourfamilybesidesyourfather？“

Juliushadnotanticipatedthatshewouldapproach，ofherownaccord，thepainfulsubjectonwhichhehadhimselfforbornetotouch。Hewasalittledisappointed。Hehadexpectedmoredelicacyoffeelingfromherthanshehadshown。

“Isitnecessary，“heasked，coldly，“toenteronthat？“

ThebloodroseagaininAnne’scheeks。

“Ifithadnotbeennecessary，“sheanswered，“doyouthinkI

couldhaveforcedmyselftomention