"My release!" she said, seating herself on the chair from which he had risen. "My release from a misfortune! No;--but my fall from heaven! Oh, what a man he is! That he should have loved me, and that I should have driven him away from me!" Her thoughts travelled off to the sweetness of that home at Nethercoats, to the excellence of that master who might have been hers; and then in an agony of despair she told herself that she had been an idiot and a fool, as well as a traitor. What had she wanted in life that she should have thus quarrelled with as happy a lot as ever had been offered to a woman? Had she not been mad, when she sent from her side the only man that she loved,--the only man that she had ever truly respected? For hours she sat there, all alone, putting out the candles which the servant had lighted for her, and leaving untasted the tea that was brought to her.

"My release!" she said. "My release from a misfortune! No; my fall from heaven! Oh, what a man he is! That he should have loved me, and that I should have driven him away!" Her thoughts travelled off to the sweetness of that home at Nethercoats, to the excellence of its master; and in an agony of despair she told herself that she had been an idiot and a fool, as well as a traitor. Had she not been mad, when she sent away the only man that she loved - the only man that she had ever truly respected? For hours she sat there, all alone, leaving untasted the tea that was brought to her.
