The Belton Estate

ng no more? Of course Clara asked herself that question as soon as she was alone in her bedroom, after leaving Captain Aylme

before accused him. She had been cold to him, unfriendly, and harsh. As her aunt had told her, she spoke sharp words to him, and repulsed the kindness which he offered her. What right had she to expect from him a declaration of love when she was studious to stop him at every avenue by which he might approach it? A little management on her sid

ad strong and peculiar feelings about doctors' visits, and had on this very morning declined to be so visited. On the next day the doctor would come in the usual course of things, for she had submitted for some years back to such periodical visitings; but she had desired that nothing might be done out

she knew herself to be very ill. "I felt it coming on me last night," she said, "when I was talking to you; and I felt it still more strongly when I left you after tea. I have lived long enough. God's will be done." At that moment, when she said she had lived long enough, she forgot her intention with reference to her will. But she remembered it before Clara had left the room. "Tell Frederic," she said, "to send at once for Mr. Palmer." Now

circumstances in the house, there was no further immediate reference made to that offer of dearest friendship. It was clear to them both that

be able to go ho

nd of you if y

d y

will run up to town and come down again before the end of the week. I kno

elieve you, C

write to me da

usin know how little chance there was that she would be at home at Christmas, explaining to hi

diately after breakfast. "I shall be in the house all the

rhaps like

I should be in the way." Then he got a newspaper and made himself comfort

icil was or was not added to the will. To Clara she said nothing more on the subject, nor at such a time did Captain Aylmer feel that he could offer her any assurance on the matter. But Clara knew that the will was not altered; and though at the time she was not thinking much about money, she had, nevertheless, very clearly made up her own mind as to her own conduct. Nothing should induce her to take a present of fifteen hundred pounds,-or, indeed, of as many pence from Captain Aylmer. During those hours of sickness in the house they had been much thrown

nday would be useless. He explained also what was required, and declared that he would be at once ready to make good the deficiency in the will. Mr. Palmer seemed to thi

t to owe any care to her. He promised his aunt that he would do as she desired him, and it was impossible that Clara should then, aloud, repudiate the compact. But she said nothing, merely allowing her hand to rest with his beneath the thin, dry hand of the dying woman. To her aunt, however, when for a moment they were alone together, she showed all possible affection, with thanks and tears, and warm kisses, and prayers for forgiveness as to all those matters in which she had offended. "My pretty one;-my dea

r can be a remedy. Nevertheless, it demanded sad countenances, few words, and those spoken hardly above a whisper; an absence of all amusement and almost of all employment, and a full surrender to the trappings of woe. They two were living together without other companion in the big house,-sitting down together to dinner and to tea; but on this day hardly a dozen words were spoken between them, and those dozen were spoken with no purport. On the Monday Captain Aylmer gave orders for the funeral, and then went away to London, undertaking to b

that she had no right to expect anything else but commonplace words. How often are men found who can speak words on such occasions that are not commonplaces,-that really stir the soul, and bring true comfort to the listener? The humble listener may receive comfort even from commonplace words; but Clara was not humble, and rebuked herself for her own pride.

him who would decline, without argument, the clergyman would opine that he was simply a reprobate. Of him who would propose to accompany an hypothetical acceptance with certain stipulations, he would say to himself that he was a stiff-necked wrestler against grace, whose condition was worse than that of the reprobate. Men and women, conscious that they will be thus judged, submit to the hypocrisy, and go down upon their kn

o worked so hard in the parish that on every day, Sundays included, he went to bed as tired in all his bones as a day labourer from the fields;-"a very great loss. There ar

ry kind woman

, who can doubt? Since I knew her she always lived as a saint upon earth. I s

;-I shou

won't keep it in

live in London because of Parliament, and goes to Y

;-"do you know, she always used to send me ten guineas at Christmas to help me along. She understood, as well as any one, how hard it is for a gentleman to live on seventy pounds a year. You will not wonder that I should

rim monarch is in the house; and it is a relief when they first dare to do so with some attention to the comforts which are ordinarily so important to them. For themselves alone women seldom care to exercise much trouble in this direction; but the presence of a man at once excuses and renders necessary the cer

the dining-room, after dinner, and Clara knew that the coming back to which he alluded was his return from the funeral. But she made no

said. "I do not want a

confined to the hou

not feel it as you would. However, I

ure plans. Have you fixed upon any day yet for returning?

good to any o

se. Dear, good old woman! I know she would have wished that I should keep it in my own hand

y n

u like it

the town. You would be a sort of king here; and then, some day, you will have your

ion. Could you bring yourself to l

y n

ecause of all lives it is the one you would like the least. No one shou

dows? I have no doubt I could live here very happily if I had anybody near me that

d find him ab

ilst you were away, and he, too, asked

at did

now. I suppose he was meditating whether you wo

;-for Captain Aylmer, in the carrying out of his principles, always

. "But I did not give him any hope. How could I? Of course I kn

. But I see very plainly tha

ther people in Perivale, besides Mr. Possitt, that my dear aunt lived here; and if the house is shut up, or let to

very slowly and in a low voice, "of course

ou were living here, she would hardly take upon herse

find it v

calculations as to that

g a man who was tied by his leg to Perivale.

their

t I said. But I shoul

conversation suddenly. "I very often think of the future fate of Belton Castle when papa sh

will you go

sed to hear him talk of his plans, and had been quite resolved not to talk of her own. But now, by her own speech, she had set him to

to think of that for

to help thinking

ut it; but I suppose I shall endeavour to-to

me and live

ore than an

s house

. To tell the truth, I think that any lady who lives here alone ought to be older than I am. The Periv

alone," said

some companion with her there, she felt herself compelled to put an end to the conversation. And yet she knew that this was always the way, both with him and with herself. He would say things which would seem to promise that in another minute he would be at her feet, and then he would go no further

y, was still lying the body of her aunt! What would she have thought of herself if at such a moment she could have listened to words of love, and promised herself as a wife while such an inmate was in the house? She little knew that he, with

ate on the subject, let her resolutions against any such speculation be ever so strong? She had confessed to herself that she loved the man, and what else could she wish but that he also should love her? But there came upon her some faint suspicion-some glimpse of what was almost a dream-that he might po