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ife； to resort to it in this instance would have been cruel； and they proceeded to other means of cure。
The letter was duly delivered at the town house of Lord Mount Severn； where it was addressed。 The countess was sojourning there for a few days； she had quitted it after the season； but some business； or pleasure； had called her again to town。 Lord Vane was with her； but the earl was in Scotland。 They were at breakfast； she and her son； when the letter was brought in： eighteen pence to pay。 Its scrawled address； its foreign aspect； its appearance； altogether； excited her curiosity； in her own mind； she believed she had dropped upon a nice little conjugal mare's nest。
〃I shall open this；〃 cried she。
〃Why； it is addressed to papa！〃 exclaimed Lord Vane who possessed all his father's notions of honor。
〃But such an odd letter！ It may require an immediate answer； or is some begging petition； perhaps。 Get on with your breakfast。〃
Lady Mount Severn opened the letter； and with some difficulty spelt through its contents。 They shocked even her。
〃How dreadful！〃 she uttered； in the impulse of the moment。
〃What is dreadful？〃 asked Lord Vane； looking up from his breakfast。
〃Lady IsabelIsabel Vaneyou have not forgotten her？〃
〃Forgotten her！〃 he echoed。 〃Why； mamma； I must possess a funny memory to have forgotten her already。〃
〃She is dead。 She has been killed in a railway accident in France。〃
His large blue eyes； honest and true as they had been in childhood； filled； and his face flushed。 He said nothing； for emotion was strong within him。
〃But； shocking as it is； it is better for her；〃 went on the countess； 〃for； poor creature what could her future life had been？〃
〃Oh； don't say it！〃 impetuously broke out the young viscount。 〃Killed in a railway accident； and for you to say that it is better for her！〃
〃So it is better；〃 said the countess。 〃Don't go into heroics； William。 You are quite old enough to know that she had brought misery upon herself； and disgrace upon all connected with her。 No one could ever have taken notice of her again。〃
〃I would；〃 said the boy； stoutly。
Lady Mount Severn smiled derisively。
〃I would。 I never liked anybody in the world half so much as I liked Isabel。〃
〃That's past and gone。 You would not have continued to like her； after the disgrace she wrought。〃
〃Somebody else wrought more of the disgrace than she did； and； had I been a man； I would have shot him dead；〃 flashed the viscount。
〃You don't know anything about it。〃
〃Don't I！〃 returned he； not over dutifully。 But Lady Mount Severn had not brought him up to be dutiful。
〃May I read the letter； mamma？〃 he demanded； after a pause。
〃If you can read it；〃 she replied； tossing it to him。 〃It is written in the strangest style； syllables divided； and the words running one into the other。 She wrote it herself when she was dying。〃
Lord Vane took the letter to a window； and stayed looking over it for some time； the countess ate an egg and a plate of ham meanwhile。 Presently he came back with it folded； and laid in on the table。
〃You will forward it to papa to…day；〃 he observed。
〃I shall forward it to him。 But there's no hurry； and I don't exactly know where your papa may be。 I shall send the notice of her death to the papers； and I am glad to do it； it is a blight removed from the family。〃
〃Mamma； I do think you are the unkindest woman that ever breathed！〃
〃I'll give you something to call me unkind for； if you don't mind；〃 retorted the countess； her color rising。 〃Dock you of your holiday； and pack you back to school to…day。〃
A few mornings after this Mr。 Carlyle left East Lynne and proceeded to his office as usual。 Scarcely was he seated； when Mr。 Dill entered； and Mr。 Carlyle looked at him inquiringly； for it was not Mr。 Carlyle's custom to be intruded upon by any person until he had opened his letters； then he would ring for Mr。 Dill。 The letters and the /Times/ newspaper lay on the table before him。 The old gentleman came up in a covert； timid sort of way； which made Mr。 Carlyle look all the more。
〃I beg pardon； sir； will you let me ask if you have heard any particular news？〃
〃Yes； I have heard it；〃 replied Mr。 Carlyle。
〃Then； sir； I beg your pardon a thousand times over。 It occurred to me that you probably had not； Mr。 Archibald； and I thought I would have said a word to prepare you； before you came upon it suddenly in the paper。〃
〃To prepare me！〃 echoed Mr。 Carlyle； as old Dill was turning away。 〃Why； what has come to you； Dill？ Are you afraid my nerves are growing delicate； or that I shall faint over the loss of a hundred pounds？ At the very most； we shall not suffer above that extent。〃
Old Dill turned back again。
〃If I don't believe you are speaking of the failure of Kent & Green！ It's not /that/； Mr。 Archibald。 They won't affect us much； and there'll be a dividend； report runs。〃
〃What is it； then？〃
〃Then you have not heard it； sir！ I am glad that I'm in time。 It might not be well for you to have seen it without a word of preparation； Mr。 Archibald。〃
〃If you have not gone demented； you will tell me what you mean； Dill； and leave me to my letters；〃 cried Mr。 Carlyle； wondering excessively at his sober； matter…of…fact clerk's words and manner。
Old Dill put his hands upon the /Times/ newspaper。
〃It's here； Mr。 Archibald； in the column of deaths； the first on the list。 Please； prepare yourself a little before you look at it。〃
He shuffled out quickly； and Mr。 Carlyle as quickly unfolded the paper。 It was； as old Dill said； the first on the list of deaths：
〃At Cammere； in France； on the 18th inst。； Isabel Mary； only child of William； late Earl of Mount Severn。〃
Clients called； Mr。 Carlyle's bell did not ring； an hour or two passed； and old Dill protested that Mr。 Carlyle was engaged until he could protest no longer。 He went in； deprecatingly。 Mr。 Carlyle sat yet with the newspaper before him； and the letters unopened at his elbow。
〃There are one or two who /will/ come in； Mr。 Archibaldwho /will/ see you； what am I to say？〃
Mr。 Carlyle stared at him for a moment； as if his wits had been in the next world。 Then he swept the newspaper from before him； and was the calm； collected man of business again。
As the news of Lady Isabel's marriage had first come in the knowledge of Lord Mount Severn through the newspapers； so singular to say did the tidings of her death。 The next post brought him the letter； which his wife had tardily forwarded。 But； unlike Lady Mount Severn； he did not take her death as entirely upon trust； he thought it possible the letter might have been dispatched without its having taken place； and he deemed it incumbent on him to make inquiries。 He wrote immediately to the authorities of the town； in the best French he could muster； asking for particulars； and whether she was really dead。
He received； in due course a satisfactory answer； satisfactory in so far as that it set his doubts at rest。 He had inquired after her by her proper name； and title； 〃La Dame Isabelle Vane；〃 and as the authorities could find none of the survivors owning that name； they took it for granted she was dead。 They wrote him word that the child and nu