He held his peace awhile. Never before had I seen so much fire, and so
little sunshine in Dr. John's blue eye as just now.

"Lucy," he recommenced, "look well at my mother, and say, without fear
or favour, in what light she now appears to you."

"As she always does--an English, middle-class gentlewoman; well, though
gravely dressed, habitually independent of pretence, constitutionally
composed and cheerful."

"So she seems to me--bless her! The merry may laugh _with_ mamma, but
the weak only will laugh _at_ her. She shall not be ridiculed, with my
consent, at least; nor without my--my scorn--my antipathy--my--"

He stopped: and it was time--for he was getting excited--more it seemed
than the occasion warranted. I did not then know that he had witnessed
double cause for dissatisfaction with Miss Fanshawe. The glow of his
complexion, the expansion of his nostril, the bold curve which disdain
gave his well-cut under lip, showed him in a new and striking phase.
Yet the rare passion of the constitutionally suave and serene, is not a
pleasant spectacle; nor did I like the sort of vindictive thrill which
passed through his strong young frame.

"Do I frighten you, Lucy?" he asked.

"I cannot tell why you are so very angry."

"For this reason," he muttered in my ear. "Ginevra is neither a pure
angel, nor a pure-minded woman."

"Nonsense! you exaggerate: she has no great harm in her."

"Too much for me. _I_ can see where _you_ are blind. Now dismiss the
subject. Let me amuse myself by teasing mamma: I will assert that she
is flagging. Mamma, pray rouse yourself."

"John, I will certainly rouse you if you are not better conducted. Will
you and Lucy be silent, that I may hear the singing?"

They were then thundering in a chorus, under cover of which all the
previous dialogue had taken place.

"_You_ hear the singing, mamma! Now, I will wager my studs, which are
genuine, against your paste brooch--"

"My paste brooch, Graham? Profane boy! you know that it is a stone of
value."

"Oh! that is one of your superstitions: you were cheated in the
business."

"I am cheated in fewer things than you imagine. How do you happen to be
acquainted with young ladies of the court, John? I have observed two of
them pay you no small attention during the last half-hour."

"I wish you would not observe them."

"Why not? Because one of them satirically levels her eyeglass at me?
She is a pretty, silly girl: but are you apprehensi