ry men, had proposed to herself,--to go out as a
governess! Indeed, at this very moment such, probably, was her own
idea. As yet she had received no reply to the letter she had written
other than that which was now conveyed by her uncle's presence.

A few questions were asked as to the voyage. No;--she had not been
at all ill. "I have almost feared," she said, "to reach England,
thinking I should be so desolate." "We will not let you be desolate,"
said Sir Thomas, brightening up a little under the graciousness of
the goddess's demeanour. "My girls are looking forward to your coming
with the greatest delight." Then she asked some question as to her
cousins, and Sir Thomas thought that there was majesty even in her
voice. It was low, soft, and musical; but yet, even in that as in her
eye, there was something that indicated a power of command.

He had no servant with him to assist in looking after her luggage.
Old Stemm was the only man in his employment, and he could hardly
have brought Stemm down to Southampton on such an errand. But he
soon found that everybody about the ship was ready to wait upon Miss
Bonner. Even the captain came to take a special farewell of her, and
the second officer seemed to have nothing to do but to look after
her. The doctor was at her elbow to the last;--and all her boxes and
trunks seemed to extricate themselves from the general mass with a
readiness which is certainly not experienced by ordinary passengers.
There are certain favours in life which are very charming,--but very
unjust to others, and which we may perhaps lump under the name of
priority of service. Money will hardly buy it. When money does buy
it, there is no injustice. When priority of service is had, like a
coach-and-four, by the man who can afford to pay for it, industry,
which is the source of wealth, receives its fitting reward. Rank
will often procure it; most unjustly,--as we, who have no rank, feel
sometimes with great soreness. Position other than that of rank,
official position or commercial position, will secure it in certain
cases. A railway train is stopped at a wrong place for a railway
director, or a post-office manager gets his letters taken after time.
These, too, are grievances. But priority of service is perhaps more
readily accorded to feminine beauty, and especially to unprotected
feminine beauty, than to any other form of claim. Whether or no this
is ever felt as a grievance, ladies who are not beautiful m