CHAPTER74
’IAMDISGRACEDANDSHAMED。’
SoonafterthecommencementoftheSessionArthurFletcherbecameaconstantvisitorinManchesterSquare，diningwiththeoldbarristeralmostconstantlyonSundays，andnotunfrequentlyonotherdayswhentheHouseandhisgeneralengagementswouldpermitit。BetweenhimandEmily’sfathertherewasnosecretandnomisunderstanding。MrWhartonquiteunderstoodthattheyoungmemberofParliamentwasearnestlypurposedtomarryhisdaughter，andFletcherwassureofalltheassistanceandsupportwhichMrWhartoncouldgivehim。ThenameofLopezwasveryrarelyusedbetweenthem。Ithadbeentacitlyagreedthattherewasnoneedthatitshouldbementioned。Themanhadcomelikeadestroyingangelbetweenthemandtheirfondesthopes。Neithercouldeverbewhathewouldhavebeenhadthemanneverappearedtodestroytheirhappiness。Butthemanhadgoneaway，notwithoutatragedythatwasappalling——andeachthoughtthat，asregardedhim，heandthepersoninwhomtheywereinterestedcouldbetaughttoseemtoforgethim。’Itisnotlove，’saidthefather，’butafeelingofshame。’ArthurFletchershookhishead，notquiteagreeingwiththis。Itwasnotthathefearedthatshelovedthememoryofherlatehusband。Suchlovewas，hethought，impossible。Buttherewas，hebelieved，somethingmorethanthefeelingwhichherfatherdescribedasshame。Therewaspridealso——adeterminationinherownbosomnottoconfessthefaultshehadmadeingivingherselftohimwhomshemustnowthinktohavebeensomuchtheleastworthyofhertwosuitors。
’HerfortunewillnotbewhatIoncepromisedyou，’saidtheoldmanplaintively。
’IdonotrememberthatIeveraskedyouastoherfortune，’