ive him no encouragement to stay long. She kept
watch too upon all that passed, not only between him and Emily, but
between him and John Ayliffe; for a quarrel between them, which she
thought likely, was not what she desired. But there was no danger of
such a result. Marlow treated the young man with a cold and distant
politeness--a proud civility, which left him no pretence for offence,
and yet silenced and abashed him completely. During the whole visit,
till towards its close, the contrast between the two men was so marked
and strong, so disadvantageous to him whom Mrs. Hazleton sought to
favor, that she would have given much to have had Ayliffe away from
such a damaging companion. At length she could endure it no longer, and
contrived to send him to seek for some flowers which she pretended to
want, and which she knew he would not readily find in her gardens.

Before he returned, Marlow was gone; and Emily, soon after, retired to
her own room, leaving the youth and Mrs. Hazleton together.

The three met again at dinner, and, for once, a subject was brought up,
by accident, or design--which, I know not--that gave John Ayliffe an
opportunity of setting himself in a somewhat better light. Every one has
some amenity--some sweeter, gentler spot in the character. He had a
great love for flowers--a passion for them; and it brought forth the
small, very small portion of the poetry of the heart which had been
assigned to him by nature. It was flowers then that Mrs. Hazleton talked
of, and he soon joined in discussing their beauties, with a thorough
knowledge of, and feeling for his subject. Emily was somewhat surprised,
and, with natural kindness, felt glad to find some topic where she could
converse with him at ease. The change of her manner encouraged him, and
he went on, for once, wisely keeping to a subject on which he was at
home, and which seemed so well to please. Mrs. Hazleton helped him
greatly with a skill and rapidity which few could have displayed, always
guiding the conversation back to the well chosen theme, whenever it was
lost for an instant.

At length, when the impression was most favorable, John Ayliffe rose to
go--I know not whether he did so at a sign from Mrs. Hazleton; but I
think he did. Few men quit a room gracefully--it is a difficult
evolution--and he, certainly, did not. But Emily's eyes were in a
different direction, and to say the truth, although he had seemed to her
more agreeable that evening