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'I

CHAPTER XXII.

The Gordian knot

Which true lovers knit,

Undo it you cannot,

Nor yet break it:

Make use of your inventions
Their fancies to betray;
To frustrate their intentions

Love will find out the way.

OLD SONG.

DECLARE,' said Roger vehemently, it is perfectly disgraceful to think of Miriam spending her Christmas-day all by herself at Clapham.' The remark was made to his mother, after crossing Piccadilly; for she had taken his arm on their return from St. James's, when Mr. Mordaunt diverged from the rest of the party to go down to his club.

If there had been any danger of Roger's undisguised love for Miiam becoming reciprocal, it would have been carefully discouraged; but as matters stood, it only served for a subject of amusement and family banter, and Mrs. Mordaunt answered with a smile, 'I am very sorry, Roger, but it is not my fault: I sent her a most pressing invitation through Susan and Uncle Ralph.'

'Yes, and I can fancy how it was delivered. Now, really, Mother, do you not think it cruel to

leave Miriam utterly alone, to think of all she has loved and lost in the last year, while we are merrymaking here?'

It is hard,' said Mrs. Mordaunt; and Roger was not slow to pursue his advantage.

'Then let me call a cab at once, and drive down to Clapham with Lilias, who is quite as angry as I am. I am sure that she will come back with us if she is asked properly.'

'I have no doubt you will be irresistible, Roger.'

It is not kind to say that,' he replied, colouring; 'you know that it is not to make her care for me, but only for her sake that I want to go.'

'I do know that you are the most unselfish boy in the world, and it would be a shame to deny you the Christmas treat on which you have set your heart. So you may take Lily; only you must not let her over-tire herself, but bring her home, instead of going to the Abbey, if she gets no luncheon at Clapham.'

Of this there was no danger, since Miriam was just sitting down to her solitary dinner of three courses, attended by as many servants, when Roger and his sister arrived. Since, as she explained, she had stipulated for an early dinner, in order to avoid the forms and ceremonies of dining late, Roger speculated what additional ceremonies could be devised, and gruffly declined the dishes he liked best, because they were offered to him by a powdered footman.

Miriam was looking pale and sad, but her face brightened after awhile; and she made no resistance, when Lilias announced that they had come

down on purpose to carry her off. There was some inward shrinking to overcome; yet she allowed that it might be pleasant as well as salutary to be roused from the visions with which her lonely hours were haunted. They agreed to time the drive back to London so as to suit the three o'clock service at Westminster Abbey, to which Roger had promised to take Lily.

'You cannot think,' Lilias said, 'how much better London is now that we have Roger. We hardly ever walk in that horrid square' now.'

6

Shortly before these three might be expected to make their appearance in Charles-street, Mr. Mordaunt walked in. After imparting to his wife the gossip gleaned at the Athenæum, he wound up with a more startling piece of intelligence. By the way, my dear, you must tell them to put a place for Leo. I hunted him out of his chambers, where he was moping over the fire, made him take a brisk walk, and insisted on his coming to our six o'clock dinner.'

'My dear John!' exclaimed Mrs. Mordaunt in dismay; I expect Miriam Leigh every minute. Roger and Lily have gone down to Clapham to fetch her.'

Mr. Mordaunt first whistled, then observed philosophically that it could not be helped if the young people were not left together, they could scarcely get into mischief.

‘And I must be watching them the whole time,' said Mrs. Mordaunt pathetically, ' and all the girls by to see what goes on. It will quite spoil our

dinner. Had I not better tell Miriam when she

comes in, and she will probably propose to go upstairs ?'

'No, that would be rather hard. Say nothing of Leo's coming, to Cornwall least of all, and there will be less danger of a scene. Perhaps Leo may fight shy at the last moment, and not come.'

On this contingency Mrs. Mordaunt was forced to rest her hopes, for a ring at the door-bell was followed by the entrance of Roger and his two young ladies. The keen evening air had heightened Miriam's colour; she looked very graceful and pretty, and Mr. Mordaunt, always a little in love with her himself, was more inclined than before to forgive his nephew's unaccountable constancy. Miriam came downstairs when she had taken off her bonnet, and found him on guard while the rest of the family were dressing, to obviate the possibility of her meeting Leonard alone. But one by one the whole family assembled before the expected guest arrived, and Mrs. Mordaunt looked anxiously for the first stroke of six, having already given directions that dinner was to be served without waiting. Roger meanwhile seated himself beside Miriam in quiet felicity, because there was no one to interfere with his privilege of taking her in. There was Uncle Ralph for Mrs. Mordaunt; while Ailie, always treated as a distinguished guest on these occasions, was assigned to the master of the house. Miriam turned her eyes with some interest on Susan and Mr. Merton, who sat a little apart from the family circle. It was the first time she had seen them in their new relation to each other, and she felt a strange longing to see and comprehend the

joy which she might not share. But such a desire could not be satisfied by the contemplation of the two before her; she was only shocked by an alteration in Susan, which she had scarcely observed on the preceding day. Her colour was so fixed, her expression so worn and wretched, as she sat looking straight before her, so as to avoid meeting her lover's eyes, who was conversing in earnest and subdued tones. And if Miriam could have heard what was passing between them, she would no longer have wondered at Susan's expression.

'Then Christmas has brought no brightness with it, Susan?' Mr. Merton said.

'I do not know,' she answered; 'I am not so fond as you are of analyzing moods.'

'Not all moods, Susan. I never question, but only rejoice in your brighter moments; yet I must seek to discover the cause of such continued sadness.'

'At all events,' said Susan, 'this is not the time and place.'

'True, and if you afforded me more opportunities of seeing you apart, I would not press my inquiries at an unseasonable moment. But I will be silent, rather than offend you.'

'There is the dinner-bell!' said Mrs. Mordaunt with such lively satisfaction that Patty laughingly observed that Mamma must be very hungry.'

And after all, her satisfaction was premature, for at the same moment the door opened to admit Leonard. There was a sensation, of course; the hum of voices suddenly ceased, and all. eyes turned first on the new comer, then on the spot where