st he was quick to explain to her
what, according to his ideas, was the becoming mode by which lovers
might show their love. I wonder whether it ever occurred to Clara, as
she thought of it all before she went to bed that night, that Captain
Aylmer and William Belton were very different in their manners. And
if so, I must wonder further whether she most approved the manners of
the patient man or the man who was impatient.

CHAPTER XXXII.

CONCLUSION.

About two months after the scene described in the last chapter, when
the full summer had arrived, Clara received two letters from the two
lovers, the history of whose loves have just been told, and these
shall be submitted to the reader, as they will serve to explain the
manner in which the two men proposed to arrange their affairs. We
will first have Captain Aylmer's letter, which was the first read;
Clara kept the latter for the last, as children always keep their
sweetest morsels.

Aylmer Park, August, 186--.

MY DEAR MISS AMEDROZ,

I heard before leaving London that you are engaged to
marry your cousin Mr. William Belton, and I think that
perhaps you may be satisfied to have a line from me to let
you know that I quite approve of the marriage.

"I do not care very much for his approval or disapproval," said Clara
as she read this.

No doubt it will be the best thing you can do, especially
as it will heal all the sores arising from the entail.

"There never was any sore," said Clara.

Pray give my compliments to Mr. Belton, and offer him
my congratulations, and tell him that I wish him all
happiness in the married state.

"Married fiddlestick!" said Clara. In this she was unreasonable;
but the euphonious platitudes of Captain Aylmer were so unlike the
vehement protestations of Mr. Belton that she must be excused if by
this time she had come to entertain something of an unreasonable
aversion for the former.

I hope you will not receive my news with perfect
indifference when I tell you that I also am going to be
married. The lady is one whom I have known for a long
time, and have always esteemed very highly. She is Lady
Emily Tagmaggert, the youngest daughter of the Earl of
Mull.

Why Clara should immediately have conceived a feeling of supreme
contempt for Lady Emily Tagmaggert, and assured herself that
her ladyship was a thin, dry, cross old maid with a red nose, I
cannot explain; but I do