ANOTHER OLD ACQUAINTANCE. 163

He dared not ask about it, but sat troubled and
uneasy in the corner of his carriage, trying to recal
to his recollection what had occurred but a few
moments before. That he had it crumpled up in his
hand as he assisted his wife into the carriage he could
recollect ; but his mind was so agitated and bewildered
at the moment that he knew not what he did ; he
could remember nothing more about it till he had
missed it ; he feared that he had dropped it in getting
into the carriage, and in that case it would be found
and might be made public—might be sent after him
—nay, he could not tell what might be the conse-
quence ; but that which seemed even worse than
this, was the chance of his never finding it, for thus
he had not the slightest idea of what the address
was, to which his reply should be sent. It was a
most agonising thought. He hoped, however, that it
might still be in the carriage among its various con-
tents. At the first place they stopped he had every-
thing taken out—but no letter was there !

They came to their journey’s end ; took possession
of their new house—a beautiful prince-like villa on
the banks of the Arno; his wife was happy ; the
child was lovely, and throve like a flower in May ;
she was the fondest of mothers. Could she but have
seen her husband happy, she would have been the
happiest of wives. As at Vienna so here, he spent
most of his time on horseback ; he was as little as
possible at home. Had his wife’s mind been less occu-
pied by the child than it was, she never would have
rested without penetrating the secret of his sadness.
But when she saw him at home, she saw him with
assumed spirits, and she had no idea of his hours of