imed in; adding, with a shrug, 'But,
egad!'

'Well, we don't want him to resemble his sister,' said Lady Jocelyn. 'I
acknowledge she's amusing.'

'Amusing, Emily!' Mrs. Shorne never encountered her sister-in-law's
calmness without indignation. 'I could not rest in the house with such a
person, knowing her what she is. A vile adventuress, as I firmly believe.
What does she do all day with your mother? Depend upon it, you will
repent her visit in more ways than one.'

'A prophecy?' asked Lady Jocelyn, smiling.

On the grounds of common sense, on the grounds of propriety, and
consideration of what was due to themselves, all agreed to condemn the
notion of Rose casting herself away on Evan. Lady Jocelyn agreed with
Mrs. Shorne; Sir Franks with his brother, and Sir John. But as to what
they were to do, they were divided. Lady Jocelyn said she should not
prevent Rose from writing to Evan, if she had the wish to do so.

'Folly must come out,' said her ladyship. 'It's a combustible material. I
won't have her health injured. She shall go into the world more. She will
be presented at Court, and if it's necessary to give her a dose or two to
counteract her vanity, I don't object. This will wear off, or, 'si c'est
veritablement une grande passion, eh bien' we must take what Providence
sends us.'

'And which we might have prevented if we had condescended to listen to
the plainest worldly wisdom,' added Mrs. Shorne.

'Yes,' said Lady Jocelyn, equably, 'you know, you and I, Julia, argue
from two distinct points. Girls may be shut up, as you propose. I don't
think nature intended to have them the obverse of men. I 'm sure their
mothers never designed that they should run away with footmen,
riding-masters, chance curates, as they occasionally do, and wouldn't if
they had points of comparison. My opinion is that Prospero was just saved
by the Prince of Naples being wrecked on his island, from a shocking
mis-alliance between his daughter and the son of Sycorax. I see it
clearly. Poetry conceals the extreme probability, but from what I know of
my sex, I should have no hesitation in turning prophet also, as to that.'

What could Mrs. Shorne do with a mother who talked in this manner? Mrs.
Melville, when she arrived to take part in the conference, which
gradually swelled to a family one, was equally unable to make Lady
Jocelyn perceive that her plan of bringing up Rose was, in the present
result of it, other than unlucky.

Now the