lay; but the few ladies who used this instrument
were thought masculine. The education of girls at this time admitted of
scarcely any accomplishment but music: they were taught to read, write,
sew, and cook, to play the virginals, lute, and cithern, and to read
prick-song at sight,--namely, to sing from the score, without
accompaniment. Those who were acquainted with any language beside their
own were the few and highly-cultured; and a girl who knew French or
Italian was still more certain to have learned Latin, if not Greek.
German and Spanish were scarcely ever taught; indeed, the former was
regarded as quite outside the list of learnable tongues.

It was a sore trouble to Aubrey that the White Bear and the Golden Fish
were next door to each other. Had he had the ordering of their
topography, they would have been so situated that he could have dropped
into the latter, to sun himself in the eyes of the fair Dorothy, without
the least fear of being seen from the former. He stood in wholesome
fear of his Aunt Temperance's sharp speeches, and had a less wholesome,
because more selfish, dislike of his mother's ceaseless complaints.
Moreover, Aunt Edith was wont to disturb his equanimity by a few quiet
occasional words which would ring in his ears for days afterwards, and
make him very uncomfortable. Her speeches were never long, but they
were often weighty, and were adapted to make their hearers consider
their ways, and think what they would do in the end thereof--a style of
consideration always unwelcome to Aubrey, and especially so since his
view of the world had been enlarged by coming to London.

He was just now in an awkward position, and the centre and knot of the
awkwardness was Dorothy Rookwood. He was making no way with Dorothy.
Her brother he met frequently at Winter's rooms, but if he wished to see
her, he must go to her home. If he went there, he must call at the
White Bear. If he did that, he must first deliver his grandmother's
message to Lady Oxford. And only suppose that Lady Oxford's inquiries
should lead to discoveries which would end in a rupture between the
Golden Fish and the White Bear--in Aubrey's receiving an order to drop
all acquaintance with the Rookwoods! For Aubrey's training, while very
kindly conducted, had been one of decided piety; and unchanged as was
his heart, the habits and tone of eighteen years were not readily shaken
off. He could not feel easy in doing many things that he