In a minute more, the man of all others whom I most wanted to see, presented himself before me, in the person of Nugent Dubourg.

He had borrowed Oscar's key, and had set off alone for the rectory to tell me what had passed between his brother and himself.
"This is the first stroke of luck that has fallen to me to-day," he said.
"I was wondering how I should contrive to speak to you privately.

And here you are--accessible and alone.

Where is Lucilla?
Can we depend on having the garden to ourselves ?" I satisfied him on both those points.

He looked sadly pale and worn.
Before he opened his lips, I saw that he too had had his mind disturbed, and his patience tried, since I had left him.