she had not dived so deeply into the powers of simulation, as to suspect
that such careless manners were the result of art.

This behaviour of Mr. Sandford had its desired effect--it humbled her in
her own opinion more than a thousand sermons would have done preached on
the vanity of youth and beauty. She felt an inward shame at the
insignificance of these qualities that she never knew before, and would
have been cured of all her pride, had she not possessed a degree of
spirit beyond the generality of her sex--such a degree as even Mr.
Sandford, with all his penetration, did not expect. She determined to
resent his treatment; and, entering the lists as his declared enemy,
give to the world a reason why he did not acknowledge her sovereignty,
as well as the rest of her devoted subjects.

She now commenced hostilities against all his arguments, his learning,
and his favourite axioms; and by a happy talent of ridicule, in want of
other weapons for this warfare, she threw in the way of the holy Father
as great trials of his patience, as any that his order could have
substituted in penance. Many things he bore like a martyr--at others, his
fortitude would forsake him, and he would call on her guardian, his
former pupil, to interpose with his authority: she would then declare
that she only had acted thus "to try the good man's temper, and that if
he had combated with his fretfulness a few moments longer, she would
have acknowledged his claim to canonization; but that having yielded to
the sallies of his anger, he must now go through numerous other
probations."

If Miss Fenton was admired by Dorriforth, by Sandford she was
adored--and, instead of placing her as an example to Miss Milner, he
spoke of her as of one endowed beyond Miss Milner's power of imitation.
Often, with a shake of his head and a sigh, would he say,

"No; I am not so hard upon you as your guardian: I only desire you to
love Miss Fenton; to resemble her, I believe, is above your ability."

This was too much to bear composedly--and poor Miss Woodley, who was
generally a witness of these controversies, felt a degree of sorrow at
every sentence which like the foregoing chagrined and distressed her
friend. Yet as she suffered too for Mr. Sandford, the joy of her
friend's reply was abated by the uneasiness it gave to _him._ But Mrs.
Horton felt for none but the right reverend priest; and often did she
feel so violently interested in his cause, that she could