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nd caused her heart to beat as if it would burst its bounds； and she started from her chair like one who has received an electric shock。
It was nothing to be startled at eitherfor ordinary peoplefor it was but the sound of children's voices。 /Her/ children！ Were they being brought in to her？ She pressed her hand upon her heaving bosom。
No； they were but traversing the hall； and the voices faded away up the wide staircase。 Perhaps they had been in to desert； as in the old times； and were now going up to bed。 She looked at her new watchhalf past seven。
Her /new/ watch。 The old one had been changed away for it。 All her trinkets had been likewise parted with； sold or exchanged away； lest they should be recognized at East Lynne。 Nothing whatever had she kept except her mother's miniature and a small golden cross； set with its seven emeralds。 Have you forgotten that cross？ Francis Levison accidentally broke it for her； the first time they ever met。 If she had looked upon the breaking of that cross which her mother had enjoined her to set such store by； as an evil omen； at the time of the accident； how awfully had the subsequent events seemed to bear her fancy out！ These two articlesthe miniature and the crossshe could not bring her mind to part with。 She had sealed them up； and placed them in the remotest spot of her dressing…case； away from all chance of public view。 Peter entered。
〃My mistress says； ma'am； she would be glad to see you； if you are not too tired。 Will you please to walk into the drawing…room？〃
A mist swam before her eyes。 Was she about to enter the presence of Mrs。 Carlyle？ Had the moment really come？ She moved to the door； which Peter held open。 She turned her head from the man； for she could feel how ashy white were her face and lips。
〃Is Mrs。 Carlyle alone？〃 she asked； in a subdued voice。 The most indirect way she could put the question； as to whether Mr。 Carlyle was there。
〃Quite alone； ma'am。 My master is dining out to…day。 Madame Vine； I think？〃 he added； waiting to announce her； as； the hall traversed； he laid his hand on the drawing…room door。
〃Madame Vine；〃 she said； correcting him。 For Peter had spoken the name； Vine； broadly； according to our English habitude； she set him right； and pronounced it /a la mode Francaise/。
〃Madame Vine； ma'am；〃 quoth Peter to his mistress； as he ushered in Lady Isabel。
The old familiar drawing…room； its large handsome proportions； the well arranged furniture； its bright chandelier！ It all came back to her with a heart…sickness。 No longer /her/ drawing…room； that she should take pride in it； she had flung it away from her when she flung away the rest。
Seated under the blaze of the chandelier was Barbara。 Not a day older did she look than when Lady Isabel had first seen her at the churchyard gates； when she had inquired of her husband who was that pretty girl。 〃Barbara Hare；〃 he answered。 Ay。 She was Barbara Hare then； but now she was Barbara Carlyle； and she； she； who had been Isabel Carlyle； was Isabel Vane again！ Oh； woe！ Woe！
Inexpressibly more beautiful； looked Barbara than Lady Isabel had ever seen heror else she fancied it。 Her evening dress was of pale sky… blueno other color suited Barbara so well； and there was no other she was so fond ofand on her fair neck there was a gold chain； and on her arms were gold bracelets。 Her pretty features were attractive as ever； her cheeks were flushed； her blue eyes sparkled； and her light hair was rich and abundant。 A contrast； her hair； to that of the worn woman opposite to her。
Barbara came forward； her hand stretched out with a kindly greeting。 〃I hope you are not very much tired after your journey？〃
Lady Isabel murmured somethingshe did not know whatand pushed the chair set for her as much as possible into the shade。
〃You are not ill； are you？〃 uttered Barbara； noting the intensely pale faceas much as could be seen of it for the cap and the spectacles。
〃Not ill；〃 was the low answer； 〃only a little fatigued。〃
〃Would you prefer that I spoke with you in the morning？ You would like； possibly； to retire to bed at once。〃
But Lady Isabel declined。 Better get the interview over by candlelight than by daylight。
〃You look so very pale； I feared you might be ill。〃
〃I am generally pale； sometimes remarkably so； but my health is good。〃
〃Mrs。 Latimer wrote us word that you would be quite sure to suit us；〃 freely spoke Barbara。 〃I hope you will； and that you may find your residence here agreeable。 Have you lived much in England？〃
〃In the early portion of my life。〃
〃And you have lost your husband and your children？ Stay。 I beg your pardon if I am making a mistake； I think Mrs。 Latimer did mention children。〃
〃I have lost them；〃 was the faint； quiet response。
〃Oh； but it must be terrible grief when children die！〃 exclaimed Barbara； clasping her hands in emotion。 〃I would not lose my babe for the world！ I /could/ not part with him。〃
〃Terrible grief； and hard to bear；〃 outwardly assented Lady Isabel。 But in her heart she was thinking that death was not the worst kind of parting。 There was another far more dreadful。 Mrs。 Carlyle began to speak of the children she was to take charge of。
〃You are no doubt aware that they are not mine； Mrs。 Latimer would tell you。 They are the children of Mr。 Carlyle's first wife。〃
〃And Mr。 Carlyle's；〃 interrupted Lady Isabel。 What in the world made her put in that？ She wondered herself the moment the words were out of her mouth。 A scarlet streak flushed her cheeks； and she remembered that there must be no speaking upon impulse at East Lynne。
〃Mr。 Carlyle's； of course；〃 said Barbara； believing Madame Vine had asked the question。 〃Their positionthe girl's in particularis a sad one； for their mother left them。 Oh； it was a shocking business！〃
〃She is dead； I hear；〃 said Lady Isabel hoping to turn the immediate point of conversation。 Mrs。 Carlyle； however； continued as though she had not heard her。
〃Mr。 Carlyle married Lady Isabel Vane； the late Lord Mount Severn's daughter。 She was attractive and beautiful； but I do not fancy she cared very much for her husband。 However that may have been； she ran away from him。〃
〃It was very sad；〃 observed Lady Isabel； feeling that she was expected to say something。 Besides； she had her /role/ to play。
〃Sad？ It was wickedit was infamous！〃 returned Mrs。 Carlyle； giving way to some excitement。 〃Of all men living； of all husbands； Mr。 Carlyle least deserved such a requital。 You will say so when you come to know。 And the affair altogether was a mystery； for it never was observed or suspected by any one that Lady Isabel entertained a liking for another。 It was Francis Levison she eloped withSir Francis he is now。 He had been staying at East Lynne； but no one detected any undue intimacy between them； not even Mr。 Carlyle。 To him； as others； her conduct must always remain a mystery。〃
Madame appeared to be occupied with her spectacles； setting them straight。 Barbara continued；
〃Of course the disgrace is reflected on the children； and always will be； the shame of having a divorced mother〃
〃Is she not dead？〃 interrupted Lady Isabel。
〃She is deadoh； yes。 But they will not be the less pointed at； the girl especially； as I say。 They allude to their mother now and then in conversation； Wilson tells me； but I would recommend you； Madame Vine； not to encourage them in that。 They had better forget her。〃
〃Mr。 Carlyle would naturally wish them to do so。〃
〃Most certainly。 There is little doubt that Mr。 Carlyle would blot out the recollection of her； were it possible。 But unfortunately she was the children's mother； and； for that； there's no help。 I trust you will be able to instill principles into the little girl which will keep her from a like fate。〃
〃I will try；〃 answered Lady Isabel； with more fervor than she had yet spoken。 〃Do you have the children much with you； may I inquire？〃
〃No。 I never was fond of being troubled with children。 When my own grow up into childhood I shall deem the nursery and the schoolroom the fitter place for them。 What I trust I shall never give up to another； will be the /training/ of my children；〃 pursued Barbara。 〃Let the offices properly pertaining to a nurse be performed by the nurseof course； taking care that she is thoroughly to be depended on。 Let her have the /trouble/ of the children； their noise； their romping； in short； let the nursery be her place； and the children's。 But I hope that I shall never fail to gather my children round me daily； at stated and convenient periods； for higher purposes； to instill into them Christian and moral duties； to strive to teach them how best to fulfil the obligations of life。 /This/ is a mother's taskas I understand the questionlet her do this work well； and the nurse can attend to the rest。 A child should never hear aught from his mother's lips but persuasive gentleness； and this becomes impossible if she is very much with her children。〃
Lady Isabel silently assented。 Mrs。 Carlyle's views were correct ones。
〃When I first came to East Lynne I found Miss Manning； the governess； was doing everything necessary for Mr。 Carlyle's children in the way of the training that I speak of；〃 resumed Barbara。 〃She had them with her f