Gracestoleonefurtiveglanceathissteady，resoluteface。ShewasperfectlyunmovedbythemanlyconsiderationforherwhichJulian\'slastwordshadexpressed。Allsheunderstoodwasthathewasnotamantobetrifledwith。Futureopportunitieswouldofferthemselvesofreturningsecretlytothehouse。Shedeterminedtoyield——anddeceivehim。
\"Iamreadytogo，\"shesaid，risingwithdoggedsubmission。\"Yourturnnow，\"shemutteredtoherself，assheturnedtothelooking-glasstoarrangehershawl。\"Myturnwillcome。\"
Julianadvancedtowardher，asiftoofferherhisarm，andcheckedhimself。Firmlypersuadedashewasthathermindwasderanged——readilyasheadmittedthatsheclaimed，invirtueofheraffliction，everyindulgencethathecouldextendtoher——therewassomethingrepellenttohimatthatmomentinthebareideaoftouchingher。Theimageofthebeautifulcreaturewhowastheobjectofhermonstrousaccusation——theimageofMercyasshelayhelplessforamomentinhisarms——wasvividinhismindwhileheopenedthedoorthatledintothehall，anddrewbacktoletGracepassoutbeforehim。Helefttheservanttohelpherintothecab。ThemanrespectfullyaddressedhimashetookhisseatoppositetoGrace。
\"Iamorderedtosaythatyourroomisready，sir，andthatherladyshipexpectsyoutodinner。\"
Absorbedintheeventswhichhadfollowedhisaunt\'sinvitation，JulianhadforgottenhisengagementtostayatMablethorpeHouse。Couldhereturn，knowinghisownheartashenowknewit？Couldhehonorablyremain，perhapsforweekstogether，inMercy\'ssociety，consciousashenowwasoftheimpressionwhichshehadproducedonhim？No。Theonehonorablecoursethathecouldtakewastofindanexcuseforwithdrawingfromhisengagement。\"Begherladyshipnottowaitdinnerforme，\"hesaid。\"Iwillwriteandmakemyapologies。\"Thecabdroveoff。Thewonderingservantwaitedonthedoorstep，lookingafterit。\"Iwouldn\'tstandinMr。Julian\'sshoesforsomething，\"hethought，withhismindrunningonthedifficultiesoftheyoungclergyman\'sposition。\"Theresheisalongwithhiminthecab。Whatishegoingtodowithherafterthat？\"