LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1066, 27 November 1877, Page 3

LITERATURE.

THE TWO SIBYLS. ( Continued .) ‘ You have done right, dear Norval, although it has cost you more than our little Lily knows.’ Then, holding out her arms to Lily, she said, ‘ A year, dear, is but a little time in your young life, and I, old and frail as I am, hope to welcome my bonnie birdie back to her nest at Glenach.’ 4 I shall try and be patient, mother dear; I may call you so, may I not F’ she said, laying her soft cheek to Mrs Cameron’s. 4 A year is not long to learn all I must learn to make me a good and useful daughter to you. ’ 4 Here comes Rose,’ said Norval. ‘ We must condole with her on her fall.’ 4 She does not look as if she wanted condolence,’ said Lily, laughing. ‘May we not alter it to congratulation ? ’ But Rose disappeared, and Sir Percy entered alone to announce his happiness. Next morning brought the expected announcement of Colonel and Mrs Dewsbury’s arrival in London, and the girls left Glenach immediately to join them. Lily acquiesced in Norval’s wish that for a year they should not meet, and that, during that time, none but formal correspondence, necessary in their relation as guardian and ward, should pass between them. Lily felt it very hard to part, but no doubt existed in her mind as to the renewal of their engagement; she had no doubt of her own or Norval’s constancy. To him the trial was heavier ; Lily was going to mingle in the gaieties and fascinating pleasures of fashionable life, and he could not but feel a dread of being forgotten by a beautiful and gifted girl, petted and courted as Lily was sure to be. The very depth and intensity of his love made him fearful of losing it. Charter VI. Sir Percy Lowther followed the two Sibyls to London, and managed to overcome Colonel and Mrs Dewsbury’s repugnance to part from their daughter, and Rose and he were married in the autumn. Lily spent a good deal of time visiting friends of her father and mother, but her home was with Colonel and Mrs Dewsbury, and a niece of Mrs Dewsbury, Kate Dalton, was with them. And how fared it with the laird of Glenach ? He kept strictly to his purpose of holding no communication with Lily except on business matters, and even excused himself from being present at Rose’s wedding, and it was only through others that he heard of her. Rumours reached him of the admiration she received everywhere, of the offers of marriage she had received, and at last of one she had accepted, A friend wrote to him from London : 4 1 saw your lovely ward, Miss Montgomery, with her fiance in the Park yesterday. Our friend Neville has fallen on his feet, but those black-coats have a way of enticing all the best fish into their nets, I need not ask you when the wedding is to be, as I understand the engagement even is to be kept quiet at present. ’ Poor Norval 1 had he had more faith in Lily he would have treated this as an idle rumour ; but it was the confirmation of hjs fears, what he had been looking for, with dread certainty, b'it not with hopelessness. The indirect inquiries he made only confirmed the report. Mr Neville, who was a

college friend of his own, and a fellow of Balliol, was a constant visitor at Colonel Dewsbury’s, and an almost daily companion of Miss Montgomery and Miss Dalton in their rides.

Mrs Cameron tried to persuade her son to make direct inquiry before giving credence to the report, but that, he said, would be creaking his compact with Sibyl. He had thought it right that she should be free, and the result had been as he feared, and he must leave her unmolested. He did not complain, and none but his mother knew how deeply he had been wounded. At this time, when he was weary and list less, longing for work to occupy his thoughts, an offer was made to him of a share in a business abroad that would probably lead to his realising a fortune His mother trembled when she heard of it, but when she found that he eagerly embraced it, mother-like she concealed her pain at part ing from him, and offered n.o opposition. His acceptance entailed the immediate sale of Glenach, that he might provide for his mother’s comfort and realise the capital he required. It was advertised accordingly. It was impossible for Norval, of course, to leave England till the year of probation should have expired, and Lily given him her answer. But, knowing what that answer would be, he wished to save himself and to save her pain by being ready to start immediately after. In the mean time he felt it must be embarrassing to Lily to retain him as her guardian ; and he resolved to propose to her that she should select another, as she was entitled to do. He wrote to her accordingly, making no allusion to her engagement ; telling her that it was in her option to choose another guardian, and that circumstances made it advisable that he should cease to stand to her in that relation. Although he said to himself and to her that it would be better, in his secret heart he hoped she would refuse, and he felt that her refusal would be in a measure a denial of her engagement to Mr Neville. Her answer took some days to reach him, and when it came it dashed his last hope to the ground. Lily wrote with many warm expressions of gratitude for the care and trouble he had hitherto taken, but acceding quite readily to his proposal that she should select another guardian. She said that she had asked >ir Percy Lowther, as one in whom she knew Norval had great confidence, to take his place, and found he was willing to do so, subject to Norval’s approval. He did not lo e a pest in answering her letter, expressing his entire concurrence in Sir Percy’s appointment. Then he felt that the last Ink that bound Lily to h m was broken, and there remained nothing to do but to hurry ou the preparations for going abroad immediately after he should finally take leaverf her After a time the sale of Glenach was effected, ami he had not even the poor satisfaction of knowing to whom it was to belong. It was purchased oy a lawyer in Edinburgh in his own name, as his client did not wish to be known till he should take up his residence there.

Chapter VII. Lily was staying with Sir Percy and Lady Lowther in the summer; and Sir Percy wrote to Norval, as her birthday approached to ask him to pay them a visit also. He wrote in reply that circumstances would prevent his being in London till late on the evening of Lily’s birthday. Unfortunately the Lowthers and Lily had an engagement that evening that they could not break. So they left a card of invitation for Norval, and a request that he would join the party. In any other circumstances he would have been too tired; but the desire to see Lily, and to see her in society, was too strong to be resisted. When he reached the house, he found the rooms crowded, and himself more solitary than he had ever felt on the wildest hill at Glenach. By patient and persevering efforts he at last reached the ballroom, and discovered the object of his search. At first he almost; failed to recogaise, in the dignified and stately lady who received the most flattering attentions as if they were only her due, the gentle diliident young girl he had known at Glenach —his own sweet lily-of-the valley. While he was watching her unobserved, her eyes suddenly brightened ; and she held out her hand with evident pleasure to a gentleman who approached her, and whom Norval recognised as his friend Neville. He offered her his arm, and the two separated from the group that had formed round the heiress, and stood near Norval, with their backs towards him, and facing a large mirror. Their conversation was carried on in a low tone, Mr Neville bending over her. As they were speaking, Norval saw Lily start; and when she turned to answer him, a glow of pleasure was on her cheek, and an expression in her eyes that he knew well, and which he thought would be awakened for none but him. He had heard none of of their conversation hitherto, but now he overheard Mr Neville say, ‘ You have made me the happiest' man in I-ondon to night, Miss Montgomery.’ ‘ Nay, I feel I have been foolish to say so much, for you know my promise cannot be fulfilled without Mr Cameron’s consent.’ * But we must hope that he will not refuse that to his old friend. By the way, did you not say you expected him here to night ? Can we not storm his hard heart at once ?’ Lily laughed gaily. ‘No, Mr Neville, I must not have him troubled with business matters to-night; it will be time enough to morrow.’ Norval had heard enough. No doubt now remained ; but it wrung his heart to hear Lily laughingly defer troubling him with business till he should have rested. He left the house at once The gay crowd and the brilliant rooms seemed to mock at his misery, and he hurried home with that light laugh of Lily’s sounding in his ears. When he reached Sir Percy’s, he told the butler that he would remain in the library till his master’s return, when he wished to have a few minutes’ conversation with him. (To be continued.)