tile. After a few steps, Philip
heard himself called. Mr Grey was hastening after him, to know whether
this matter was to be spoken of, or to remain quiet, after Mrs Grey had
been informed. He had perfectly understood that all Deerbrook was soon
to know it; but it was a different question whether his family were to
be authorised to tell it. Mr Enderby desired they would follow their
own inclinations entirely. Margaret's only wish was, that her kind
relations should be informed directly from herself before anybody else
but her friend, Miss Young: and his own only desire was, that, on
Margaret's account, every one should understand that his engagement was
to her, and not to any lady at Rome or elsewhere. Virtual provision
having thus been made for the enlightenment of all Deerbrook in the
course of the day, the gentlemen once more went their respective ways.

In her present mood of amiability, Mrs Rowland determined on giving the
Greys the pleasure of a call from Mr Walcot. In the afternoon, when
Fanny was saying her catechism to her mamma, and Mary was repeating a
hymn to Sophia, Mrs Rowland's well-known knock was heard, and any
religious feelings which might have been aroused in the minds of the
little girls were put to flight by the sound. Sophia turned her feet
off the sofa, where she had been lying all day, that Mrs Rowland might
not suspect that she had suffered from the mobbing of the Hopes. The
children were enjoined not to refer to it, and were recommended to avoid
the subject of Miss Young also, if possible.

The amazement and wrath of the party at hearing Mr Walcot announced was
beyond expression. Mrs Grey was sufficiently afraid of her neighbour
to confine herself to negative rudeness. She did the most she dared in
not looking at Mr Walcot, or asking him to sit down. He did not appear
to miss her attentions, but seated himself beside her daughter, and
offered remarks on the difference between Deerbrook and Cheltenham.
Sophia made no intelligible replies, and looked impenetrably reserved;
he therefore tried another subject, enlarged upon Mrs Rowland's extreme
kindness to him, and said that his parents wrote that they considered
him a fortunate youth in having met with a friend who would be a mother
or sister to him, now that he was no longer under the parental wing.
Sophia had intended to be quite distant and silent, but his long-winded
praises of all the Rowlands were too much for her. She observe