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Harriet laughed at this fancy, and Aurelia was impelled to defend it "Indeed, Harriet, it is really so There will be whispers--oh, such whispers!"--she sunk her voice and hid her face again--"close to rave voice sounds at the other end of the rooht the first time, but I am much more used to it now"

"This is serious," said Harriet, with unwonted gravity "Do you really think that there is another person in the room?"

"I do not feel as if it could be otherwise, and yet it is quite iht not to bear it How do you know that it is not soht even be the blackamoor!"

"No, no, Harriet! I know better than that It is quite impossible Besides, I am sure of this--that the hands that wedded me are the sa effort, "strong but delicate hands, rather hard inside, as with the bridle I noticed it because once I thought his hands soft with doing nothing and being shut up"

"That convinces e imposition practised upon you," said Harriet, anxiously

"Oh, no!" said Aurelia, inconsistently; "Mr Bela bynotions He told h I should e and inexplicable"

"This is trusting hi on your inexperience, I am sure If you were not asituation this is"

"I wish I had not told you," said Aurelia, tears rushing into her eyes "I ought not! He bade et!"

"Did he so? Then it is evident that he fears disclosure! So must be done Why not write to our father?"

"I could not! He would call it a silly fancy"

"And it ht embroil him with my Lady," added Harriet "We must devise another mode"

"You will not--must not tell Mr Arden," exclai more sublunary than the course of the planets But I have it His device will serve the purpose Do you re hiht a candle without flint or steel? It was true When he was a bachelor he always lit his own candle and fire, and he always carries the hted the first time he showeda case, "a drop of this spirit upon this prepared cotton;" and as a bright flahed and applied a taper to it "There, one such flash would be quite enough to prove to you whether there be any deception practised on you"