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away。
〃My dear Eunice；〃 I said； 〃let me beg you to excuse me。 I am
waiting〃
There she interrupted meand； oh； in what an impudent manner！
She took my chin between her finger and thumb； and lifted my
downcast face； and looked at me with an appearance of eager
expectation which I was quite at a loss to understand。
〃You have been away from home； too。〃 she said。 〃Do I see in this
serious face some astonishing news waiting to overpower me？ Have
_you_ found a sweetheart？ Are _you_ engaged to be married？〃
I only put her hand away from me； and advised her to return to
her chair。 This perfectly harmless proceeding seemed absolutely
to frighten her。
〃Oh； my dear；〃 she burst out； 〃surely you are not jealous of me？〃
There was but one possible reply to this： I laughed at it。 Is
Eunice's head turned？ She kissed me！
〃Now you laugh；〃 she said； 〃I begin to understand you again； I
ought to have known that you are superior to jealousy。 But； do
tell me； would it be so very wonderful if other girls found
something to envy in my good luck？ Just think of it！ Such a
handsome man； such an agreeable man； such a clever man； such a
rich manand； not the least of his merits； by…the…by； a man who
admires You。 Come！ if you won't congratulate me； congratulate
yourself on having such a brother…in…law in prospect！〃
Her head _was_ turned。 I drew the poor soul's attention
compassionately to what I had said a moment since。
〃Pardon me； dear； for reminding you that I have not yet refused
to offer my congratulations。 I only told you I was waiting。〃
〃For what？〃
〃Waiting； of course； to hear what my father thinks of your
wonderful good luck。〃
This explanation； offered with the kindest intentions； produced
another change in my very variable sister。 I had extinguished her
good spirits as I might have extinguished a light。 She sat down
by me； and sighed in the saddest manner。 The heart must be hard
indeed which can resist the distress of a person who is dear to
us。 I put my arm round her； she was becoming once more the Eunice
whom I so dearly loved。
〃My poor child；〃 I said。 〃don't distress yourself by speaking of
it； I understand。 Your father objects to your marrying Mr。
Dunboyne。〃
She shook her head。 〃I can't exactly say； Helena； that papa does
that。 He only behaves very strangely。〃
〃Am I indiscreet； dear； if I ask in what way father's behavior
has surprised you？〃
She was quite willing to enlighten me。 It was a simple little
story which； to my mind； sufficiently explained the strange
behavior that had puzzled my unfortunate sister。
There could indeed be no doubt that my father considered Eunice
far too childish in character； as yet； to undertake the duties of
matrimony。 But； with his customary delicacy； and dread of causing
distress to others； he had deferred the disagreeable duty of
communicating his opinion to Mr。 Dunboyne。 The adverse decision
must； however； be sooner or later announced； and he had arranged
to inflict disappointment； as tenderly as might be； at his own
table。
Considerately leaving Eunice in the enjoyment of any vain hopes
which she may have founded on the event of the dinner…party； I
passed the evening until supper…time came in the study with my
father。
Our talk was mainly devoted to the worthy people with whom I had
been staying； and whose new schools I had helped to found。 Not a
word was said relating to my sister； or to Mr。 Dunboyne。 Poor
father looked so sadly weary and ill that I ventured； after what
the doctor had said to Eunice； to hint at the value of rest and
change of scene to an overworked man。 Oh； dear me； he frowned；
and waved the subject away from him impatiently； with a wan； pale
hand。
After supper； I made an unpleasant discovery。 Not having
completely finished the unpacking of my boxes； I left Miss
Jillgall and Eunice in the drawing…room； and went upstairs。 In
half an hour I returned； and found the room empty。 What had
become of them？ It was a fine moonlight night； I stepped into the
back drawing…room； and looked out of the window。 There they were；
walking arm…in…arm with their heads close together； deep in talk。
With my knowledge of Miss Jillgall； I call this a bad sign。
An odd thought has just come to me。 I wonder what might have
happened； if I had been visiting at Mrs。 Staveley's； instead of
Eunice； and if Mr。 Dunboyne had seen me first。
Absurd！ if I was not too tired to do anything more； those last
lines should be scratched out。
CHAPTER XXII。
EUNICE'S DIARY。
I SAID so to Miss Jillgall； and I say it again here。 Nothing will
induce me to think ill of Helena。
My sister is a good deal tired； and a little out of temper after
the railway journey。 This is exactly what happened to me when I
went to London。 I attribute her refusal to let me read her
journal； after she had read mine； entirely to the disagreeable
consequences of traveling by railway。 Miss Jillgall accounted for
it otherwise； in her own funny manner： 〃My sweet child； your
sister's diary is full of abuse of poor me。〃 I humored the joke：
〃Dearest Selina； keep a diary of your own； and fill it with abuse
of my sister。〃 This seemed to be a droll saying at the time。 But
it doesn't look particularly amusing； now it is written down。 We
had ginger wine at supper； to celebrate Helena's return。 Although
I only drank one glass； I daresay it may have got into my head。
However that may be； when the lovely moonlight tempted us into
the garden； there was an end to our jokes。 We had something to
talk about which still dwells disagreeably on my mind。
Miss Jillgall began it。
〃If I trust you； dearest Euneece； with my own precious secrets；
shall I never； never； never live to repent it？〃
I told my good little friend that she might depend on me；
provided her secrets did no harm to any person whom I loved。
She clasped her hands and looked up at the moonI can only
suppose that her sentiments overpowered her。 She said； very
prettily； that her heart and my heart beat together in heavenly
harmony。 It is needless to add that this satisfied me。
Miss Jillgall's generous confidence in my discretion was； I am
afraid； not rewarded as it ought to have been。 I found her
tiresome at first。
She spoke of an excellent friend （a lady）； who had helped her； at
the time when she lost her little fortune； by raising a
subscription privately to pay the expenses of her return to
England。 Her friend's namenot very attractive to English
earswas Mrs。 Tenbruggen； they had first become acquainted under
interesting circumstances。 Miss Jillgall happened to mention that
my father was her only living relative； and it turned out that
Mrs。 Tenbruggen was familiar with his name； and reverenced his
fame as a preacher。 When he had generously received his poor
helpless cousin under his own roof； Miss Jillgall's gratitude and
sense of duty impelled her to write and tell Mrs。 Tenbruggen how
happy she was as a member of our family。
Let me confess that I began to listen more attentively when the
narrative reached this point。
〃I drew a little picture of our domestic circle here；〃 Miss
Jillgall said； describing her letter； 〃and I mentioned the
mystery