Cheviot telling me that
the object of his attentions has been apparent. I'm sure I did not
know if it were Mab or one of you. I thought he avoided all alike; and
poor Mary was so taken by surprise that she will do nothing but cry,
and say, "No, never;" and when I tell her she shall do as she pleases,
she cries the more; or if I ask her if I am to say Yes, she goes into
ecstasies of crying! I wish one of you would go up, and see if you can
do anything with her.'

'Is he about the house?' asked Flora, preparing to obey.

'No--I was obliged to tell him that she must have time, and he is gone
home. I am glad he should have a little suspense--he seemed to make so
certain of her. Did he think he was making love all the time he was
boring me with his gas in the dormitories? I hope she will serve him
out!'

'He will not be the worse for not being a lady's man,' said Flora, at
the door.

But in ten minutes, Flora returned with the same report of nothing but
tears; and she was obliged to leave the party to their perplexity, and
drive home; while Ethel went in her turn to use all manner of pleas to
her sister to cheer up, know her own mind, and be sure that they only
wished to guess what would make her happiest. To console or to scold
were equally unsuccessful, and after attempting all varieties of
treatment, bracing or tender, Ethel found that the only approach to
calm was produced by the promise that she should be teased no more that
evening, but be left quite alone to recover, and cool her burning eyes
and aching head. So, lighting her fire, shaking up a much-neglected
easy-chair, bathing her eves, desiring her not to come down to tea, and
engaging both that Gertrude should not behold her, and that papa would
not be angry, provided that she tried to know what she really wished,
and be wiser on the morrow, Ethel left her. The present concern was
absolutely more to persuade her to give an answer of some sort, than
what that answer should be. Ethel would not wish; Dr. May had very
little doubt; and Gertrude, from whom there was no concealing the state
of affairs, observed, 'If she cries so much the first time she has to
know her own mind, it shows she can't do without some one to do it for
her.'

The evening passed in expeditions of Ethel's to look after her patient,
and in desultory talk on all that was probable and improbable between
Dr. May and the younger ones, until just as Ethel was coming down at
nine o'clo