ive at the other."

"I think, at present, the risk would be too hazardous, and so I wish you
a good night." And he went out of the room somewhat abruptly.

"Lord Elmwood," said Miss Milner, "is very grave--he does not look like a
man who has been passing the evening with the woman he loves."

"Perhaps he is melancholy at parting from her," said Miss Woodley.

"More likely offended," said Sandford, "at the manner in which that lady
has spoken of her."

"Who, I? I protest I said nothing----"

"Nothing! Did not you say that she was gloomy?"

"Nothing but what I thought--I was going to add, Mr. Sandford."

"When you think unjustly, you should not express your thoughts."

"Then, perhaps, I should never speak."

"And it were better you did not, if what you say is to give pain. Do you
know, Madam, that my Lord is going to be married to Miss Fenton?"

"Yes," answered Miss Milner.

"Do you know that he loves her?"

"No," answered Miss Milner.

"How! do you suppose he does not?"

"I suppose that he does, yet I don't know it."

"Then if you suppose that he does, how can you have the imprudence to
find fault with her before him?"

"I did not. To call her gloomy, was, I knew, to commend her both to him
and to you, who admire such tempers."

"Whatever her temper is, _every one_ admires it; and so far from its
being what you have described, she has great vivacity; vivacity which
comes from the heart."

"No, if it _came_ from thence, I should admire it too; but, if she has
any, it rests there, and no one is the better for it."

"Pshaw!" said Miss Woodley, "it is time for us to retire; you and Mr.
Sandford must finish your dispute in the morning."

"Dispute, Madam!" said Sandford, "I never disputed with any one beneath
a doctor of divinity in my life. I was only cautioning your friend not
to make light of those virtues which it would do her honour to possess.
Miss Fenton is a most amiable young woman, and worthy of just such a
husband as my Lord Elmwood will make her."

"I am sure," said Miss Woodley, "Miss Milner thinks so--she has a high
opinion of Miss Fenton--she was at present only jesting."

"But, Madam, a jest is a very pernicious thing, when delivered with a
malignant sneer. I have known a jest destroy a lady's reputation--I have
known a jest give one person a distaste for another--I have known a jest
break off a marriage."

"But I suppose there is no apprehension of that in the present case?"
said