ajor
Buller was better able to explain them, we had no further difficulties.

We were very proud of doing lessons in these circumstances, and boasted
of our Latin, I remember, to the little St. Quentins, when we met them
at the dancing-class. The St. Quentins were slender, ladylike girls,
much alike, and rendered more so by an exact similarity of costume.
Their governess was a very charming and talented woman, and when Mrs.
St. Quentin proposed that Matilda and I should share her daughters'
French lessons under Miss Airlie, Major Buller and Aunt Theresa
thankfully accepted the offer. I think that our short association with
this excellent lady went far to cure us of the silly fancies and tricks
of vulgar gossip which we had gleaned from Miss Perry.

So matters went on for some months, much to Matilda's and my
satisfaction, when a letter from my other guardian changed our plans
once more.

Mr. Arkwright's only daughter was going to school. He wrote to ask the
Bullers to let her break the journey by spending a night at their house.
It was a long journey, for she was coming from the north.

"They live in Yorkshire," said Major Buller, much as one might speak of
living in Central Africa.

Matilda and I looked forward with great interest to Miss Arkwright's
arrival. Her name, we learnt, was Eleanor, and she was nearly a year
older than Maria.

"She'll be _your_ friend, I suppose," I said, a little enviously, in
reference to her age.

"Of course," said Matilda, with dignity. "But you can be with us a good
deal," she was kind enough to add.

I remember quite well how disappointed I felt that I should have so
little title to share the newcomer's friendship.

"If she had only been ten years old, and so come between us," I
thought, "she would have been as much mine as Matilda's."

I little thought then what manner of friends we were to be in spite of
the five years' difference in age. Indeed, both Matilda and I were
destined to see more of her than we expected. Aunt Theresa and Major
Buller came to a sudden resolution to send us also to the school where
she was going, though we did not hear of this at first.

Long afterwards, when we were together, Eleanor asked me if I could
remember my first impression of her. For our affection's sake I wish it
had been a picturesque one; but truth obliges me to confess that, when
our visitor did at last arrive, Matilda and I were chiefly struck by the
fact that she wore thick boot