[WASTE-dev-public] she is free. But do you mean--?" "I mean, Harr

[Finnley <sta...@bo...>]

S." "Tricks, Lady Ongar!" "If Harry Clavering be ill, tell me what ails
him. Is he in danger?" "His mother, in writing to Florence, says that he
is not in danger, but that he is confined to the house. He has been
taken by some fever." On that very morning Lady Ongar had received a
letter from her sister, begging her to come to Clavering Park during the
absence of Sir Hugh, but in the letter no word had been said as to
Harry's illness. Had he been seriously, or at least dangerously ill,
Hermione would certainly have mentioned it. All this flashed across
Julia's mind as these tidings about Harry reached her. If he were not
really in danger, or even if he were, why should she betray her feeling
before this woman? "If there had been much in it," she said, resuming
her former position and manners, "I should no doubt have heard of it
from my sister." "We hear that it is not dangerous," continued Mrs.
Burton; "but he is away, and we cannot see him. And, in truth, Lady
Ongar, we can not see him any more until we know that he means to deal
honestly by us." "Am I the keeper of his honesty?" "From what I have
heard, I think you are. If you will tell me that I have heard falsely, I
will go away and beg your pardon for my intrusion. But if what I have
heard be true, you must not be surprised that I show this anxiety for
the happiness of my sister. If you knew her, Lady Ongar, you would know
that she is too good to be thrown aside with indifference." "Harry
Clavering tells me that she is an angel--that she is perfect." "And if
he loves her, will it not be a shame that they should be parted?" "I
said nothing about his loving her. Men are not always fond of
perfection. The angels may be too angelic for this world." "He did love
her." "So I suppose--or, at any rate, he thought that he did." "He did
love