The Front Yard

er entered the bedroom whic

couch placed close beside her own. She could not have slept unless a

om; hearing Eva's step, she

, pl

sion of white arms,

Eva. Rosine was their maid; her principal occupation

he dressing-room," answered Fanny, no

, for a moment. I wanted to tell

chair, at these words sprang up.

I am only telling you th

. Don't deny it." And anxiously she took the girl

een taught to answer all her mother's questions in fulle

sly. "Then if you are not ill, w

that I could not marry Pierr

ize that she was in earnest. "My dearest, you kno

t like

e? He will explain, apologiz

him to apologize. He is as he alw

ave changed," repeat

answe

ery natural, he has been here so often, and stayed so long. But I will tell him that he must go

way forever," the gi

ike Gino better? Is that it?" she

N

ton St

h

mother. You know I think only of your hap

that I could not possibly marry him. Now or a year from now. Never." She s

my word to the old Count,"

as si

thing was

out the room with wandering attention

congenial." In her heart she was asking herself what the young Belgian could have done. "Well, dea

answered. And t

with surprise and dismay. She greatly admired Pierre; even more she admired the old Count, whom she thought the most di

I should like to have you tel

r taken that tone before, my daughter. Hav

easily arranged, mamma; I will not come to the dinner-ta

ine at the vill

ve done?" thoug

but M. de Verneuil," she said to Angelo. She was very nervous, but she had decided upon her

shall have to issue the summons," she said, speaking as gayly as she could, as if to make

g he had said, nothing he had done, could possibly have offended his betrothed. "But su

explained the mother. "Sh

do in that decided way; who have freaks, as you call it," said the Belgian, his voice fo

iven to a defence that scarcely an

irls here," she said. "You must no

the whole affair was a mystery to him, and he was very unhappy. He went as far a

s and his gay wit had made all the party gay. Eva, however, seemed very happy, and at length the mother could not help being touched to see how light-hearted her serious child had become, now that she was entirely free. And yet how slight the yoke had been, and how

ome?" said Eva. "Why d

ant to go so far away,"

course you have told him, mamma, that I shall never be his wife? That it is forever?" And she

a long w

rose. "I shall write

u wish to disobey me,

so dishonest; i

her. You have changed on

you please write this very

You do not think of

not think

could not help turning again towards Gino, and in her supreme love for her child she now accomplished the mental somerset of believing that on the w

else I think of," Eva

e?" sai

of denial that was

as, from Ferguson to Gordon-Gray: Eva had no acqu

w tone. Then, with sudden exaltation, her eyes

va as a lovely child who would develop into what she herself had been. Fanny, though far-seeing and intelligent, had not been endowed with imagination. But now that she did realize it, she should know how to deal with it. A disposition like that, full of visionary fancies, wa

began, as soon as she had got her breath back, "you are right to be so honest

? I think he despises me-I am so useless!" And then

her baby ills, for life had been happy to her, loved, caressed

the mother, takin

f her heart would break. It