moment more and more sensible of the advantages of his situation. Towards
the end of supper, when the buzz of general conversation increased, it
happened that somebody near Miss Hauton spoke of a marriage that was likely
to take place in the fashionable world, and all who thought themselves, or
who wished to be thought good authorities, began to settle _how_ it would
be, and _when_ it would be: but a gentleman of Godfrey's acquaintance, who
sat next to him, said, in a low voice, "It will never be."--"Why?" said
Godfrey.--The gentleman answered in a whisper, "There is an insuperable
objection: the _mother_--don't you recollect?--the mother was a _divorcee_;
and no man of sense would venture to marry the daughter--"

"No, certainly," said Godfrey; "I did not know the fact."

He turned, as he finished speaking, to ask Miss Hauton if she would permit
him to help her to something that stood before him; but to his surprise
and alarm he perceived that she was pale, trembling, and scarcely able to
support herself.--He, for the first moment, thought only that she was taken
suddenly ill, and he was going to call Lady Oldborough's attention to her
indisposition--but Miss Hauton stopped him, and said in a low, tremulous
voice--"Take no notice." He then poured out a glass of water, put it within
her reach, turned away in obedience to her wishes, and sat in such a manner
as to screen her from observation. A confused recollection now came across
his mind of his having heard many years ago, when he was a child, of the
divorce of some Lady Anne Hauton, and the truth occurred to him, that this
was Miss Hauton's mother, and that Miss Hauton had overheard the whisper.

In a few moments, anxious to see whether she had recovered, and yet afraid
to distress her by his attention, he half turned his head, and looking down
at her plate, asked if she was better.