"Inferior animals can dispense with a member more or less," he replied,

giving her the other corner of the paper, on which they bore their

capture to the window, and shook it till it took wing, with various legs

streaming behind it. "That venerable animal is apparently indifferent to

having left a third of two legs behind him," and as he spoke he removed

the already half drawn-off left-hand glove, and let Rachel see for a

moment that it had only covered the thumb, forefinger, two joints of the

middle, and one of the third; the little finger was gone, and the whole

hand much scarred. She was still so much dismayed that she gasped out

the first question she had ever asked him-"Where--?"

"Not under the handkerchief," he answered, picking it up as if he

thought she wanted convincing. "At Delhi, I imagine."

At that moment, Grace, as an act of general beneficence certainly

pleasing to her mother, began to sing. It was a stop to all

conversation, for Mrs. Curtis particularly disliked talking during

singing, and Rachel had to digest her discoveries at her leisure, as

soon as she could collect herself after the unnatural and strangely

lasting sensation of the solid giving way. So Grace was right, he was

no boy, but really older than Fanny, the companion of her childhood, and

who probably would have married her had not the general come in the way!

Here was, no doubt, the real enemy, while they had all been thinking of

Colonel Keith. A man only now expecting his company! It would sound more

absurd. Yet Rachel was not wont to think how things would sound! And

this fresh intense dislike provoked her. Was it the unsuitability of the

young widow remarrying? "Surely, surely, it must not be that womanhood

in its contemptible side is still so strong that I want to keep all for

myself! Shame! And this may be the true life love, suppressed, now able

to revive! I have no right to be disgusted, I will watch minutely, and

judge if he will be a good guide and father to the boys, though it

may save the colonel trouble. Pish! what have I to do with either? Why

should I think about them? Yet I must care for Fanny, I must dislike to

see her lower herself even in the eyes of the world. Would it really be

lowering herself? I cannot tell, I must think it out. I wish that game

was over, or that Grace would let one speak."

But songs and whist both lasted till the evening was ended by Lady

Temple coming up to the curate with her winnings and her pretty smile,

"Please, Mr. Touchett, let this go towards some treat for the school

children. I should not like to give it in any serious way, you know, but

just for some little pleasure for them."




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