On the receipt of Henry Lennox's letter, announcing how little

hope there was of his ever clearing himself at a court-martial,

in the absence of the missing witnesses, Frederick had written to

Margaret a pretty vehement letter, containing his renunciation of

England as his country; he wished he could unnative himself, and

declared that he would not take his pardon if it were offered

him, nor live in the country if he had permission to do so. All

of which made Margaret cry sorely, so unnatural did it seem to

her at the first opening; but on consideration, she saw rather in

such expression the poignancy of the disappointment which had

thus crushed his hopes; and she felt that there was nothing for

it but patience. In the next letter, Frederick spoke so joyfully

of the future that he had no thought for the past; and Margaret

found a use in herself for the patience she had been craving for

him. She would have to be patient. But the pretty, timid, girlish

letters of Dolores were beginning to have a charm for both

Margaret and her father. The young Spaniard was so evidently

anxious to make a favourable impression upon her lover's English

relations, that her feminine care peeped out at every erasure;

and the letters announcing the marriage, were accompanied by a

splendid black lace mantilla, chosen by Dolores herself for her

unseen sister-in-law, whom Frederick had represented as a paragon

of beauty, wisdom and virtue. Frederick's worldly position was

raised by this marriage on to as high a level as they could

desire. Barbour and Co. was one of the most extensive Spanish

houses, and into it he was received as a junior partner. Margaret

smiled a little, and then sighed as she remembered afresh her old

tirades against trade. Here was her preux chevalier of a brother

turned merchant, trader! But then she rebelled against herself,

and protested silently against the confusion implied between a

Spanish merchant and a Milton mill-owner. Well! trade or no

trade, Frederick was very, very happy. Dolores must be charming,

and the mantilla was exquisite! And then she returned to the

present life.

Her father had occasionally experienced a difficulty in breathing

this spring, which had for the time distressed him exceedingly.

Margaret was less alarmed, as this difficulty went off completely

in the intervals; but she still was so desirous of his shaking

off the liability altogether, as to make her very urgent that he

should accept Mr. Bell's invitation to visit him at Oxford this

April. Mr. Bell's invitation included Margaret. Nay more, he

wrote a special letter commanding her to come; but she felt as if

it would be a greater relief to her to remain quietly at home,

entirely free from any responsibility whatever, and so to rest

her mind and heart in a manner which she had not been able to do

for more than two years past.




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