when I pressed her earnestly, it came at last.
It was because through the wide world she
knew not where to seek for a father or a
mother; because to the very name she bore
she had no claim; because to all but us, she
said, her life had ever been a deceit, and was
so still; because she felt so humbled before
those she loved, knowing that she had no
right they should be true to her whose first
step had been a falsehood to them.

She told me this, pouring it out rapidly –
passionately; and I understood it all, and far
more than she told me. Alas! I might have
guessed it all before.

I comforted her as I could. I told her
that her first grief she must bear still –
hopefully, if she could; that for the rest she
should not sorrow any longer, for all whose
love she cared for should know what her
history was. I told her to have courage, and
I thanked her earnestly, and truly, for how
she had spoken to me then; and presently,
weeping still, but happier and full of love,
my darling left me – left me to weep, because
a grief I should have known would come
had fallen on me.

I said that the Beresfords were lauded
proprietors, and Arthur was their only son;
so his coming of age was to be a great day.
Of course, I very seldom moved from home;
but it had long been a promise that on this
occasion we were to spend a week with
them, and the time was now close at hand;
indeed it was on the second day, I think,
after I had had this talk with my child, that
our visit was to begin. So, early on that day
we went.

I have not mentioned that, for the last
fortnight, besides Nevill, the Beresfords had had
other visitors with them – a brother of
Mrs. Beresford's – a Colonel Haughton, with
his wife and their two children, a little boy
and girl. They had just returned from India,
where, indeed, Mrs. Haughton had lived many
years. She was in delicate health, and did
not go out much, so that she was as yet almost
a stranger to me; but the little I had seen of
her, and all that Fortune had told me about
her, pleased me so much that I was not at all
sorry for this opportunity of knowing more
of her. There was something graceful and
winning in her manner, indeed, that
prepossessed most people in her favour, and
there was much, both of beauty and refinement,
in her face.

It was the day after we came, and a kind
of preliminary excitement was through the
house, for the next morning was to usher in
Arthur's birthday; and to-day Mrs. Beresford
was giving a large children's party,
expressly in honour of little Agnes and Henry
Haughton. I think we had every child for
six or seven miles round assembled together;
and there had been music and dancing, and a
ceaseless peal of merry voices all through the
long summer evening, and everybody looked
gay and happy, and all went well, for not a
few of the elder ones had turned themselves
into children too for the time to aid them in
their games.

It was growing late, and even the lightest
feet began to long for a little rest, when from
one large group that had gathered together,
there came a loud call to play at forfeits; and, in
two or three moments, all were busy gathering
pretty things together to pour into Fortune's
lap; and then they merrily began the game,
and laughed and clapped their hands with
delight as each holder of a forfeit was
proclaimed.

The most uproarious laughter had juat been,
excited by Nevill's performance of some
penalty allotted to him; and then I recollect
well how he came, looking very happy, to
kneel at Fortune's feet and deliver the next
sentence. She held up a little ring; and,
when she asked the usual question, what
the possessor of it was to do, he answered
gaily,

"To give us his autobiography."

There was a pause for a moment, while they
waited for Fortune to declare whose the forfeit
was, but she did not speak, for the ring was
hers. Nevill had risen from his knees, and
seeing it, he exclaimed laughing, for he
knew it,

"What, Miss Wildred, has this fallen to
your lot?"

She looked up hurriedly from him to me,
and said, "Aunt Dinah," quickly, as if to ask
me to speak. But, before I had opened my
lips Mrs. Beresford came forward, and said
kindly,

"Nevill, I think it will be hardly fair to
press this forfeit. We can't expect young
ladies to be willing to declare their
autobiographies in public, you know."

I interrupted Nevill and answered,

"But if you will take my account of
Fortune's life instead of calling on her for her
own, I think I can answer for her willingness
to let you hear it. Shall it be so, Mr.
Erlington?"

But he was eager that it should be passed
over, was even vexed that any word had
been said about it at all. I understood his
delicacy well, and thanked him for it in my
heart, but I knew what my child's wish was,
so I would not do what he asked me, but
promised that when the children were away
the story should be told; and then the game
went on.

It was past ten o'clock when they gathered
round me to hear my child's history. There
was no one there but the Beresfords, and the
Haughtons, and Nevill, and ourselves. I saw
that my poor child was agitated, but I would
not have her either know that I guessed she
was so, or that I shared her agitation, so I
took out my knitting, and began working
away very quietly as I talked, just glancing
up now and then into one or other of my
hearers' faces – into Nevill's oftenest, because
there was that in the earnest look he fixed