was recommended to spend some months at Baden Baden; and
Theodora formed a design, which highly pleased Arthur and Violet, of
spending this time, while the family were absent, and while Arthur was
in Scotland, as hostess at Martindale to Violet and the children.

After seeing Arthur off to Windsor for the next fortnight, Theodora
had begun writing to propose the scheme to her father, when she was
interrupted by the announcement of Lord St. Erme.

To visit her alone was a strong measure, and she put on a panoply of
dignified formality. He began to say he had brought a German book, to
show her a poem of which their conversation had reminded him.

'I understand very little German,' said she, coldly. 'I once had a
German governess whom I disliked so much that I took a disgust to the
language.'

'There is so much that is beautiful and untranslatable in its
literature, that I am sure it would recompense you.'

'I do not like the German tone of mind. It is vapoury and unreal.'

'I should like to show you cause to alter your opinion, but--'

'This is English,' said Theodora, as her eye fell on a paper of verses
that marked the place.

'Ah, Lucy made me put it in. A few lines that occurred to me after
watching Mrs. Martindale's little boy.'

Thankful that they were not inspired by Venus's little boy, she glanced
over them, and saw they were in his best style, simple and pretty
thoughts on the child's content, wherever he traced any symbol of his
father.

'Poor little Johnnie is highly flattered,' she said. 'His mamma will be
delighted.'

He begged her attention to the German poem, she glanced onward as
he read, watching for shoals ahead, and spied something about a
"hochbeseeltes madchen" inspiring a "Helden sanger geist", and grew
hotter and hotter till she felt ready to box his ears for intoning
German instead of speaking plain English, and having it over. A cotton
umbrella arose before her eyes, she heard the plashing gravel, and an
honest voice telling her she was a grand creature in great need of being
broken in.

The critical stanza had commenced, the reader's voice trembled; Theodora
did not heed, her mind was in the avenue at home. An opening door
startled them.

'Mr. and Mrs. Albert Moss.'

Her brother's brother-in-law! the son and partner of Lord St. Erme's
steward! Was it thus his suit was to be checked?

There was no recognition; he went on reading his German to himself,
while Albert presented Mr