That Herbert should have indulged in a little morbid
misanthropy on such an occasion was not surprising.
But I take leave to think that he was wrong in his
philosophy; we do make new friends when we lose our
old friends, and the heart is capable of cure as is
the body; were it not so, how terrible would be our
fate in this world! But we are so apt to find
fault with God’s goodness to us in this respect,
arguing, of others if not of ourselves, that the heart
once widowed should remain a widow through all rime.
I, for one, think that the heart should receive its
new spouses with what alacrity it may, and always
with thankfulness.
“I suppose Lady Desmond will let us see Clara,”
said Emmeline.
“Of course you must see her. If you knew
how much she talks about you, you would not think
of leaving Ireland without seeing her.”
“Dear Clara! I am sure she does not love
me better than I do her. But suppose that Lady
Desmond won’t let us see her! and I know that
it will be so. That grave old man with the bald
head will come out and say that ‘the Lady Clara
is not at home,’ and then we shall have to leave
without seeing her. But it does not matter with
her as it might with others, for I know that her heart
will be with us.”
“If you write beforehand to say that you are
coming, and explain that you are doing so to say good-bye,
then I think they will admit you.”
“Yes; and the countess would take care to be
there, so that I could not say one word to Clara about
you. Oh, Herbert! I would give anything
if I could have her here for one day,—only
for one day.” But when they talked it over
they both of them decided that this would not be practicable.
Clara could not stay away from her own house without
her mother’s leave, and it was not probable that
her mother would give her permission to stay at Castle
Richmond.
HERBERT FITZGERALD IN LONDON
On the following morning the whole household was up
and dressed very early. Lady Fitzgerald—the
poor lady made many futile attempts to drop her title,
but hitherto without any shadow of success—Lady
Fitzgerald was down in the breakfast parlour at seven,
as also were Aunt Letty, and Mary, and Emmeline.
Herbert had begged his mother not to allow herself
to be disturbed, alleging that there was no cause,
seeing that they all so soon would meet in London;
but she was determined that she would superintend
his last meal at Castle Richmond. The servants
brought in the trays with melancholy silence, and
now that the absolute moment of parting had come the
girls could not speak lest the tears should come and
choke them. It was not that they were about to
part with him; that parting would only be for a month.
But he was now about to part from all that ought to
have been his own. He sat down at the table in
his accustomed place, with a forced smile on his face,
