If  I  didn't  mind  it  for  myself,  I  afterwards  made  out,
this  was  largely  because  I  was  so  taken  up  with  the
idea  of  protecting  her.  My  heart,  all  at  once,  beat
high  with  this  view  ;  I  determined  to  do  everything  I
could  to  keep  her  sense  sealed.  What  I  could  do  might
have  been  all  obscure  to  me  if  I  hadn't,  as  the  minutes
lapsed,  become  more  aware  than  of  anything  else  that
I  loved  her.  The  way  to  save  her  was  to  love  her,  and
the  way  to  love  her  was  to  tell  her,  now  and  here,
that  I  did  so.  Sir  Edmund  Orme  didn't  prevent  me,
especially  as  after  a  moment  he  turned  his  back  to  us
and  stood  looking  discreetly  at  the  fire.  At  the  end
of  another  moment  he  leaned  his  head  on  his  arm,
against  the  chimney-piece,  with  an  air  of  gradual
dejection,  like  a  spirit  still  more  weary  than  discreet.
Charlotte  Harden  rose  with  a  start  at  what  I  said  to
her — she  jumped  up  to  escape  it ;  but  she  took  no
offence  :  the  feeling  I  expressed  was  too  real.  She  only
moved  about  the  room  with  a  deprecating  murmur,
and  I  was  so  busy  following  up  any  little  advantage
I  might  have  obtained  that  I  didn't  notice  in  what
manner  Sir  Edmund  Orme  disappeared.  I  only
found  his  place  presently  vacant.  This  made  no  dif
ference — he  had  been  so  small  a  hindrance  ;  I  only
remember  being  suddenly  struck  with  something
inexorable  in  the  sweet  sad  headshake  Charlotte
gave  me.
