440 THE SMUGGLER. 



manded, and apparently altogether absent in mind from the 

 scene in the drawing-room, was seated Mr. Osborn; and not 

 far from Mr. Croyland stood Sir Henry Layton, in an ordinary 

 riding-dress, with his left hand resting on the hilt of his sword, 

 speaking in any easy, quiet tone to Sir Robert Croyland; and 

 nearly opposite to him was Edith, with her arm resting on the 

 table, and her cheek supported on her hand. Her face was 

 still pale, though the colour had somewhat returned; and the 

 expression was grave, though calm. Indeed, she never re- 

 covered the gay and sparkling look which had characterised 

 her countenance in early youth; but the expression had gained 

 in depth and intensity more than it had lost in brightness; 

 and ,then, when she did smile, it was with ineffable sweetness : 

 a gleam of sunshine upon the deep sea. Her eyes were fixed 

 upon her lover ; and those who knew her well could read in 

 them satisfaction, love, hope, nay, more than hope, a pride, 

 the only pride that she could know, that he whom she had 

 chosen in her girlhood, to whom she had remained true and 

 faithful through years of sorrow and unexampled trial, had 

 proved himself in every way worthy of her first; affection and 

 her long constancy. 



But where was Zara? where Sir Edward Digby? for 

 neither of them were present at the time. From the laws of 

 attraction between different terrestrial bodies, we have every 

 reason to infer that Digby and Zara were not very far apart. 

 However, they had been somewhat eccentric in their orbits; 

 for Zara had gone out about a couple of hours before, Digby 

 being then absent, no one knew where, upon a charitable 

 errand, to carry consolation and sympathy to the cottage of 

 poor Mrs. Clare, whose daughter had been committed to the 

 earth the day before. How it happened, heaven only knows, 

 but certain it is, that at the moment I now speak of, she and 

 Digby were walking home together, towards Harbourne 

 House, while his servant led his horse at some distance 

 behind. 



Before they reached the house, however, a long conversation 

 had taken place between the personages in the drawing-room, 

 of which I shall only give the last few sentences. 



" It is true, Harry, it is true," said Sir Robert Croyland, in 

 reply to something just spoken by Layton; "and we have 

 both things to forgive ; but you far more than I have ; and as 



