"
"Your father's doing!" exclaimed L'Isle, with well-feigned
astonishment. "Then Lady Mabel is an automaton," he added scornfully,
"and I, blockhead that I am, never found it out till now! But I am
thankful for wisdom even that comes too late. I now know Lady Mabel
and myself."
Was not Lady Mabel now disarmed and defenceless? Completely at his
mercy? By no means! In this extremity she sheltered herself behind her
strongest defences. She covered her face with her hands, and burst
into tears.
Was ever man more embarrassed than L'Isle? His proud, scornful air,
vanished like a snow-flake in the fire--and forgetting all that had
passed, he was seizing her hands to draw them away from her face, when
old Moodie abruptly entered the room, and called out, "Colonel L'Isle,
you are wanted in Elvas?"
"What the devil are you doing here?" said L'Isle, turning round
quickly, and placing himself so as to hide Lady Mabel's face.
"My duty," said the old man sternly, "and they have sent for you to
attend to yours!" for he saw that something had gone wrong; and he
longed to get L'Isle out of the house.
Looking into the passage, L'Isle now saw an orderly, whom Moodie had
officiously brought up-stairs from the door, and he hurried out to
receive the man's message, and send him off.
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