Poor  Alice,  she  could  only  repeat,  '  I  cannot  show  it  you
— do  not  ask  me  ! '  and  as  the  words  passed  her  lips,  she  felt
how  foolish,  or  obstinate,  or  wicked,  they  must  make  her
appear.  Her  husband  rose  and  took  a  turn  up  and  dowil  the
room,  as  was  his  wont  when  anything  annoyed  him,  yet  he  did
not  wish  to  lose  his  self-control — the  first  symptom,  in  fact,  of
the  approach  of  his  '  quiet  manner.'  Alice  recognised  it,  and
her  heart  fluttered,  and  her  colour  went  and  came.  Having  re-
gained his  self-command,  Harry  reseated  himself,  and  began, —

'You  need  not  be  afraid  to  trust  me  in  this  matter,  Alice,
love  ;  I  promise  you  I  will  do  nothing  inconsiderate  or  hasty,
if  you  will  but  act  straightforwardly  by  me,  and  treat  me  with
proper  confidence.  Alfred  Courtland  is  a  mere  boy ;  the
utmost  I  suspect  him  of  is  foolish  romance,  which,  joined  with
his  inexperience  in  the  ways  of  the  world,  enables  such  men  as
D'Almayne  to  guide  him  as  they  please.  I  have  an  old  regard
for  him,  having  known  him  from  his  childhood  ;  and  the  worst
I  am  likely  to  do  to  him  is  to  read  him  a  lecture,  give  him  a
little  good  advice,  and  possibly  write  to  his  father,  and  suggest
that  he  had  better  look  after  the  young  gentleman  until  he  is  a
year  or  two  older,  and,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  wiser.  Perhaps,
even,  when  I  see  the  letter  I  may  not  deem  it  necessary  to
interfere  at  all.  Come,  do  not  let  any  fanciful  punctilio  weigh
with  you,  but  give  it  me  at  once.'

'  Harry,  do  not  ask  me !  Indeed,  indeed,  dear  Harry,  I
cannot — must  not  show  it  to  you !     Oh !  how  unlucky,  ho>^


364    HARRY  COVERDALE'S  COURTSHIP

strangely  unfortunate  I  am  ! — now,  too,  when  I  wanted  so  to  do
right ! '  and,  overcome  by  the  embarrassment  of  the  situation,
Alice  burst  into  tears.
