Cameron, with that wintry cold tranquillity of manner, which
implies that in putting such questions an interrogator is taking a
liberty,--"As no lover has appeared, I cannot trouble myself about his
dreams."

Said Elsie inly to herself, "This is the stupidest woman I ever met!"
and aloud to Mrs. Cameron,--"Do you not think that your neighbour, Mr.
Chillingly, is a very fine young man?"

"I suppose he would be generally considered so. He is very tall."

"A handsome face?"

"Handsome, is it? I dare say."

"What does Lily say?"

"About what?"

"About Mr. Chillingly. Does she not think him handsome?"

"I never asked her."

"My dear Mrs. Cameron, would it not be a very pretty match for Lily? The
Chillinglys are among the oldest families in Burke's 'Landed Gentry,'
and I believe his father, Sir Peter, has a considerable property."

For the first time in this conversation Mrs. Cameron betrayed emotion.
A sudden flush overspread her countenance, and then left it paler
than before. After a pause she recovered her accustomed composure, and
replied, rudely,--

"It would be no friend to Lily who could put such notions into her
head; and there is no reason to suppose that they have entered into Mr.
Chillingly's."

"Would you be sorry if they did? Surely you would like your niece to
marry well, and there are few chances of her doing so at Moleswich."

"Pardon me, Mrs. Braefield, but the question of Lily's marriage I have
never discussed, even with her guardian. Nor, considering the childlike
nature of her tastes and habits, rather than the years she has numbered,
can I think the time has yet come for discussing it at all."

Elsie, thus rebuked, changed the subject to some newspaper topic which
interested the public mind at the moment and very soon rose to depart.
Mrs. Cameron detained the hand that her visitor held out, and said in
low tones, which, though embarrassed, were evidently earnest, "My dear
Mrs. Braefield, let me trust to your good sense and the affection with
which you have honoured my niece not to incur the risk of unsettling
her mind by a hint of the ambitious projects for her future on which you
have spoken to me. It is extremely improbable that a young man of
Mr. Chillingly's expectations would entertain any serious thoughts of
marrying out of his own sphere of life, and--"

"Stop, Mrs. Cameron, I must interrupt you. Lily's personal attractions
and grace of manner would adorn any station; and have