I might have spared myself all the trouble of thinking and deciding. One
morning Mrs. Newsham, a pretty young matron, very popular in our
neighborhood, paid us a visit.
Coralie, as usual, received her, and did the honors of the house. A very
beautiful fountain had just been placed in the lawn, and we went to look
at it. I had left the two ladies looking over the basin of the fountain
while I raised the branches of a rare and valuable plant.
Stooping down, I did not hear the commencement of the conversation. When
my attention was attracted, Mrs. Newsham was concluding a sentence with
these words: "If ever you leave Crown Anstey."
I saw Coralie d'Aubergne look up at her with a quiet smile.
"I shall never leave Crown Anstey," she said, "under any possible
circumstances."
Mrs. Newsham laughed.
"You may be married, or Lady Trevelyan may not like the place and wish
it closed--a thousand things may happen to prevent you remaining here
always."
But I saw Coralie d'Aubergne shake her head, while she replied, calmly:
"No, Mrs. Newsham, I shall never leave Crown Anstey."
I cannot tell how the words impressed me.
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