planted in his affections. In fact, whenever she saw her husband apparently enjoying himself in Miss Dean's society, instead of thinking "He cares for her more than for me," she used to say to herself—" He cares for her no more than he cares for me, or for any one else in the world."

But this state of affairs could not very long continue, nor did it; and though Mr Chobham's former transaction with Miss Dean was not revealed to Helena at this time, she at length, for herself, made the mortifying discovery that her husband did possess some kind of a heart, and that he had bestowed it all upon Bertha. At first when her husband in his abstraction now and then addressed her as "Bertha," she merely laughed at him; but when he had repeated this mistake many times, always showing confusion as he did so, and when,

moreover, he had once or twice made some very strange observations in his sleep, Helena became fully alive to the fact that her unhappiness and her humiliation were even more complete than she had supposed. But this new grief was not one which she conceived it her duty to endure without resistance. After seeking and obtaining consolation by a means which she had scarcely ever known to fail, she went to Mrs Chobham the elder, and having meekly complained of the position in which she found herself placed, requested the good offices of the old lady.

The latter, aroused to a full though tardy perception of the mischief which she had promoted, proceeded to act with commendable decency and prudence. The Deans, whom the conspiracy had throughout embarrassed rather than gratified, were in

stantly despatched to another part of Italy; and when Chobham proposed to follow them, his mother firmly and successfully opposed the project. He, thinking

himself one of the most ill-used men in the world, resigned for the present the comparative bliss which had so tantalised him, and returned, with a secret protest, but with unconcealed regret, to a formal allegiance to his gentle and unoffending wife.

CHAPTER III.

AFTER waiting with impatience to know the result of my examination, I one day heard to my great joy that I had passed. My father, having congratulated me upon this success, now approached the subject of the allowance which he should give me in the army. I told him that I thought £1000 a-year would be a comfortable income. He said that he quite agreed with me, but that he had no intention of annually depriving himself of any such sum for my enjoyment. In the end he informed me that I should have "a clear start" and £500 per annum; and he also

told me that he hoped to purchase me my steps of promotion as far as the rank of captain, but that then I might have to shift for myself. I was delighted with the prospect thus opened to me, and told my father" that £500 a-year would be ample, for that I intended to be very economical." He said that he trusted I should never be extravagant, and that he wished me to consider the army my profession. He reminded me, at the same time, of a circumstance which then occasioned me very little concern namely, that his landed property would not necessarily pass into my hands. "If our anonymous friend," he said, laughing, "could hear that there was a doubt of your inheriting Hare Place, he would try to make something of it. But there isn't a doubt, humanly speaking; I only choose to do things in my