from the not very interesting conversation of his host, and turn his
eyes to Miss Grove and the epaulets. The result of his momentary
observation was the discovery that the young lady was looking very
lovely, and not at all miserable. Greatly relieved, he ventured an
appropriate remark or two, on the subject under discussion. He was
listened to with politeness, but not with Miss Fanny's usual amiability
and interest, that was evident.

By and by the gentlemen followed the ladies into the drawing-room, and
here Miss Fanny was distant and dignified still. She gave brief answers
to his remarks, and glanced now and then toward the epaulets, of whom
Mrs Grove had taken possession, and to whom she was holding forth with
great energy about something she had found in a book. Arthur approached
the centre-table, but Mrs Grove was too much occupied with Captain
Starr to include him in the conversation. Mr Grove was asleep in the
dining-room still, and Arthur felt there was no help for him. Miss
Fanny was left on his hands; and after another vain attempt at
conversation, he murmured something about music, and begged to be
permitted to hand her to the piano. Miss Grove consented, still with
more than her usual dignity and distance, and proposed to sing a new
song that Captain Starr had sent her. She did sing it, very prettily,
too. She had practised it a great deal more than was necessary, her
mamma thought, within the last few days. Then she played a brilliant
piece or two; then Mrs Grove, from the centre-table, proposed a sweet
Scottish air, a great favourite of hers, and, as it appeared, a great
favourite of Mr Elliott's, also. Then there were more Scottish airs,
and French airs, and then there was a duet with Captain Starr, and mamma
withdrew Mr Elliott to the centre-table, and the book, and did not in
the least resent the wandering of his eyes and his attention to the
piano, where the Captain's handsome head was at times in close proximity
with that of the fair musician. Then, when there had been enough of
music, Miss Grove returned to her embroidery, and Captain Starr held her
cotton and her scissors, and talked such nonsense to her, that Arthur
hearing him now and then in the pauses of the conversation, thought him
a great simpleton; and firmly believed that Miss Fanny listened from
"pique or wounded pride," or something else, not certainly because she
liked it. Not but that she seemed to like it. She smiled an