t lives that they had led
made them take different views of most subjects. Their opinions had
hardened separately, and when they met again they did not harmonize as
they had done. His sisters were more aristocratic in all their tastes
and feelings than the Australian squatter; they had scarcely mixed at
all with children, and had no patience with his wild bush children,
whose frankness and audacity were so terribly embarrassing; and they
had shown their disappointment at his MESALLIANCE very decidedly.

But on this occasion things went on much better; both Mrs. Phillips and
the children were decidedly improved, and the sisters-in-law gave Miss
Melville the credit of it, and liked her accordingly.

Miss Melville was presentable anywhere, though she was only a
governess. The tale which Mr. Phillips told of her reverse of fortune
interested them all, particularly the old gentleman.

He had met with Jane's uncle when he had been studying in Paris, who
was then only a younger son, and had been just released from the strict
discipline of a Scotch puritanical home, and not being ambitious of
filling the subordinate office of "Jock, the laird's brother," wished
to learn a profession, and thought he might try medicine as well as
anything else. He was then clever, idle, and extravagant, but a great
favourite with everybody. Jane questioned Dr. Phillips about the date
of this acquaintance, but it had occurred before the supposed time of
Francis's birth, so that he could throw no light on that question.
Still she wrote to Francis on the subject, though she had thought his
letters lately had been colder than before, and feared that his
friendship for her was not so deeply seated as hers for him. Willing to
show that her feelings towards him were unchanged, she entered into the
same minute description of the family she was at present living with as
she had done of the pupils, and the employers, and the visitors in
London. She was at this time more interested in Dr. Phillips and his
younger son Vivian than in any of the ladies of the family, and felt
particularly puzzled to explain the desire of the latter to leave the
country and his profession, when he had talents quite sufficient to
make a good figure, for such a life as Mr. Brandon's had been in the
Australian bush. He was the most scientific man whom Jane had met with
in society; and, as he met with very little sympathy from either of his
sisters in his chemical experiments or