More than a fortnight had elapsed since the accidental. meeting,
and Isabella was in doubt as to who the lady was that Henry was
with in the carriage. Little, however, did she think that it was
his wife. With a smile, Isabella met the young man as he entered
her little dwelling. Clotelle had already gone to bed, but her
father's voice roused her from her sleep, and she was soon
sitting on his knee.
The pale and agitated countenance of Henry betrayed his uneasiness,
but Isabella's mild and laughing allusion to the incident of their
meeting him on the day of his pleasure-drive, and her saying, "I
presume, dear Henry, that the lady was one of your relatives," led
him to believe that she was still in ignorance of his marriage.
She was, in fact, ignorant who the lady was who accompanied the
man she loved on that eventful day. He, aware of this, now acted
more like himself, and passed the thing off as a joke. At heart,
however, Isabella felt uneasy, and this uneasiness would at times
show itself to the young man. At last, and with a great effort,
she said,--
"Now, dear Henry, if I am in the way of your future happiness, say
so, and I will release you from any promises that you have made
me. I know there is no law by which I can hold you, and if there
was, I would not resort to it. You are as dear to me as ever, and
my thoughts shall always be devoted to you. It would be a great
sacrifice for me to give you up to another, but if it be your
desire, as great as the sacrifice is, I will make it.
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