of the days gone by； Mr。 Carlyle； it was the flashing of the diamond ring！〃
Mr。 Carlyle was silent； Barbara also； but the thoughts of both were busy。 〃Richard；〃 observed the former； 〃I should advise you to remain a day or two in the neighborhood； and look out for this man。 You may see him again； and may track him home； it is very desirable to find out who he really is if practicable。〃
〃But the danger？〃 urged Richard。
〃Your fears magnify that。 I am quite certain that nobody would know you in broad daylight； disguised as you are now。 So many years have flown since； that people have forgotten to think about you； Richard。〃
But Richard could not be persuaded； he was full of fears。 He described the man as accurately as he could to Mr。 Carlyle and Barbara； and told them /they/ must look out。 With some trouble； Mr。 Carlyle got from him an address in London； to which he might write； in case anything turned up； and Richard's presence should be necessary。 He then once more said farewell； and quitted them； his way lying past East Lynne。
〃And now to see you back； Barbara；〃 said Mr。 Carlyle。
〃Indeed you shall not do itlate as it is； and tired as you must be。 I came here alone； Richard did not keep near me。〃
〃I cannot help your having come here alone； but you may rely upon it； I do not suffer you to go back so。 Nonsense； Barbara！ Allow you to go along the high road by yourself at eleven o'clock at night？ What are you thinking of？〃
He gave Barbara his arm； and they pursued their way。 〃How late Lady Isabel will think you！〃 observed Barbara。
〃I don't know that Lady Isabel has returned home yet。 My being late once in a while is of no consequence。〃
Not another word was spoken； save by Barbara。 〃Whatever excuse can I make； should papa come home？〃 Both were buried in their own reflections。 〃Thank you very greatly；〃 she said as they reached her gate； and Mr。 Carlyle finally turned away。 Barbara stole in； and found the coast clear； her papa had not arrived。
Lady Isabel was in her dressing…room when Mr。 Carlyle entered； she was seated at a table； writing。 A few questions as to her evening's visit； which she answered in the briefest way possible； and then he asked her if she was not going to bed。
〃By and by。 I am not sleepy。〃
〃I must go at once； Isabel； for I am dead tired。〃 And no wonder。
〃You can go；〃 was her answer。
He bent down to kiss her； but she dexterously turned her face away。 He supposed that she felt hurt that he had not gone with her to the party； and placed his hand on her shoulder with a pleasant smile。
〃You foolish child； to be aggrieved at that！ It was no fault of mine； Isabel； I could not help myself。 I will talk to you in the morning； I am too tired to…night。 I suppose you will not be long。〃
Her head was bent over her writing again； and she made no reply。 Mr。 Carlyle went into his bedroom and shut the door。 Some time after； Lady Isabel went softly upstairs to Joyce's room。 Joyce； fast in her first sleep； was suddenly aroused from it。 There stood her mistress； a wax light in her hand。 Joyce rubbed her eyes； and collected her senses； and finally sat up in bed。
〃My lady！ Are you ill？〃
〃Ill！ Yes； ill and wretched；〃 answered Lady Isabel； and ill she did look； for she was perfectly white。 〃Joyce； I want a promise from you。 If anything should happen to me； stay at East Lynne with my children。〃
Joyce stared in amazement； too much astonished to make any reply。
〃Joyce； you promised it once before； promise it again。 Whatever betide you； you will stay with my children when I am gone。〃
〃I will stay with them。 But； oh； my lady； what can be the matter with you？ Are you taken suddenly ill？〃
〃Good…bye； Joyce；〃 murmured Lady Isabel； gliding from the chamber as quietly as she had entered it。 And Joyce； after an hour of perplexity； dropped asleep again。
Joyce was not the only one whose rest was disturbed that eventful night。 Mr。 Carlyle himself awoke； and to his surprise found that his wife had not come to bed。 He wondered what the time was； and struck his repeater。 A quarter past three！
Rising； he made his way to the door of his wife's dressing…room。 It was in darkness； and； so far as he could judge by the absence of sound； unoccupied。
〃Isabel！〃
No reply。 Nothing but the echo of his own voice in the silence of the night。
He struck a match and lighted a taper； partially dressed himself； and went about to look for her。 He feared she might have been taken ill； or else that she had fallen asleep in some one of the rooms。 But nowhere could he find her； and feeling perplexed； he proceeded to his sister's chamber door and knocked。
Miss Carlyle was a slight sleeper； and rose up in bed at once。 〃Who's that？〃 cried out she。
〃It is only I； Cornelia；〃 said Mr。 Carlyle。
〃You！〃 cried Miss Corny。 〃What in the name of fortune do you want？ You can come in。〃
Mr。 Carlyle opened the door； and met the keen eyes of his sister bent on him from the bed。 Her head was surmounted by a remarkable nightcap； at least a foot high。
〃Is anybody ill？〃 she demanded。
〃I think Isabel must be； I cannot find her。〃
〃Not find he？〃 echoed Miss Corny。 〃Why； what's the time？ Is she not in bed？〃
〃It is three o'clock。 She had not been to bed。 I cannot find her in the sitting…rooms； neither is she in the children's room。〃
〃Then I'll tell you what it is； Archibald； she's gone worrying after Joyce。 Perhaps the girl may be in pain to…night。〃
Mr。 Carlyle was in full retreat toward Joyce's room； at this suggestion； when his sister called to him。
〃If anything is amiss with Joyce； you come and tell me； Archibald； for I shall get up and see after her。 The girl was my servant before she was your wife's。〃
He reached Joyce's room； and softly unlatched the door； fully expecting to find a light there； and his wife sitting by the bedside。 There was no light there； however； save that which came from the taper he held； and he saw no signs of his wife。 /Where/ was she？ Was it probable that Joyce should tell him？ He stepped inside the room and called to her。
Joyce started up in a fright； which changed to astonishment when she recognized her master。 He inquired whether Lady Isabel had been there； and for a few moments Joyce did not answer。 She had been dreaming of Lady Isabel； and could not at first detach the dream from the visit which had probably given rise to it。
〃What did you say； sir？ Is my lady worse？〃
〃I asked if she had been here。 I cannot find her。〃
〃Why； yes；〃 said Joyce； now fully aroused。 〃She came here and woke me。 That was just before twelve； for I heard the clock strike。 She did not stay here a minute； sir。〃
〃Woke you！〃 repeated Mr。 Carlyle。 〃What did she want？ What did she come here for？〃
Thoughts are quick； imagination is still quicker； and Joyce was giving the reins to both。 Her mistress's gloomy and ambiguous words were crowding on her brain。 Three o'clock and she had not been in bed； and was not to be found in the house？ A nameless horror struggled to Joyce's face； her eyes were dilating with it； she seized and threw on a large flannel gown which lay on a chair by the bed； and forgetful of her master who stood there； out she sprang to the floor。 All minor considerations faded to insignificance beside the terrible dread which had taken possession of her。 Clasping the flannel gown tight around her with one hand； she laid the other on the arm of Mr。 Carlyle。
〃Oh； master！ Oh； master！ She has destroyed herself！ I see it all now。〃
〃Joyce！〃 sternly interrupted Mr。 Carlyle。
〃She has destroyed herself； as true as that we two are living here；〃 persisted Joyce； her own face livid with emotion。 〃I can understand her words now； I could not before。 She came hereand her face was like a corpse as the light fell upon itsaying she had come to get a promise from me to stay with her children when she was gone； I asked whether she was ill； and she answered； 'Yes； ill and wretched。' Oh； sir； may heaven support you under this dreadful trial！〃
Mr。 Carlyle felt bewilderedperplexed。 Not a syllable did he believe。 He was not angry with Joyce； for he thought she had lost her reason。
〃It is so； sir； incredible as you may deem my words；〃 pursued Joyce； wringing her hands。 〃My lady has been miserably unhappy； and that has driven her to it。〃
〃Joyce； are you in your senses or out of them？〃 demanded Mr。 Carlyle； a certain sternness in his tone。 〃Your lady miserably unhappy！ What do you mean？〃
Before Joyce could answer； an addition was received to the company in the person of Miss Carlyle； who appeared in black stockings and a shawl； and the lofty nightcap。 Hearing voices in Joyce's room； which was above her own； and full of curiosity； she ascended； not choosing to be shut out from the conference。
〃Whatever's up？〃 cried she。 〃Is Lady Isabel found？〃
〃She is not found； and she never will be found but in her winding… sheet；〃 returned Joyce； whose lamentable and unusual state of excitement completely overpowered her customary quiet respect and plain good sense。 〃And； ma'am； I am glad that you have come up； for what I was about to say to my master I would prefer to say in your presence。 When my lady is brought into this house； and laid before us dead； what will your feelings be？ My master has done his duty by her in love； but youyou have made her life a misery。 Yes； ma'am； you have。〃
〃Hoity…toity！〃 muttered Miss Carlyle； staring at Joyce in consternation。 〃What is all this？ Where's my lady？〃
〃She has gone and taken the life that was not hers to take；〃 sobbed Joyce； 〃and I say she has been driven to it。 She has not been allowed to indulge a will of her own； poor thing； since she came to East Lynne； in her own house she has been less free than either of her servants。 You have curbed her； ma'am； and snapped at her； and you made her feel that she was but a slave to your caprices and temper。 All these years she has been crossed and put upon； everything； in short； but beatenma'am； you know she hasand has borne it all in silence； like a patient angel； never； as I believe； complaining to master； he can say whether she has or not。 We all loved her； we all felt for her； and my master's heart would have bled had he suspected what she had to put up with day after day； and year after year。〃
Mi