"
But that night Mrs. Frostwinch died quietly in her sleep, and the
letters were not written.
XXXI
HOW CHANCES MOCK
2 Henry IV., iii. 1.
Maurice had seen Berenice only once since his encounter at the ball. He
had hoped and dreaded to meet her, but for more than a week after his
leaving the Clergy House he had failed. One morning he saw her walking
before him on Beacon Street; and while he instantly said to himself
that he trusted that she would not discover him, he hurried forward to
overtake her. His feet carried him forward even while he told himself
that he did not wish to go. He was beside her in a moment, and as he
spoke she raised those rich, dark eyes with a glance which made him
thrill.
"Good-morning," he said with his heart beating as absurdly as if the
encounter were of the highest consequence.
"Good-morning, Mr. Wynne," she responded, with a manner entirely
abstract.
She had started and blushed, he was sure, on perceiving him; but if so
she had instantly recovered her self-possession. He was disconcerted by
the coldness of her manner, and began to wish in complete earnest that
he had not overtaken her.
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