monkey or a magpie. In fact, in chattering and hiding things he was
nearly as bad as a magpie, and the torment of his governess's life; yet
she was fond of him. "Why do you bid us good-by, Mr. Roy? Why don't you
stay always with Miss Williams and me?"

"I wish to God I could."

She heard that, heard it distinctly, though it was spoken beneath his
breath; and she felt the look, turned for one moment upon her as she
stood by the window. She never forgot either--never, as long as she
lived. Some words, some looks, can deceive, perhaps quite unconsciously,
by being either more demonstrative than was meant, or the exaggeration of
coldness to hide its opposite; but sometimes a glance, a tone, betrays,
or rather reveals, the real truth in a manner that nothing afterward can
ever falsify. For one instant, one instant only, Fortune felt sure,
quite sure, that in some way or other she was very dear to Robert Roy.
If the next minute he had taken her into his arms, and said or looked the
words which, to an earnest-minded, sincere man like him, constitute a
pledge for life, never to be disannulled or denied, she could have hardly
have felt more completely his own.

But he did not say them; he said nothing at all; sat leaning his head on
his hand, with an expression so weary, so sad, that all the coaxing ways
of little Davie could hardly win from him more than a faint smile. He
looked so old, too, and he was but just thirty. Only thirty--only
twenty-five; and yet these two were bearing, seemed to have borne for
years, the burden of life, feeling all its hardships and none of its
sweetnesses. Would things ever change? Would he have the courage (it was
his part, not hers) to make them change, at least in one way, by bringing
about that heart-union which to all pure and true natures is consolation