ttle of port wine which had
been sent in for him from some neighbouring public-house, Lily began
to feel that it was very dull. And she looked round the room, and
she thought that it was very ugly. And she calculated that thirty
evenings so spent would seem to be very long. And she reflected that
the hours were probably going much more quickly with Emily Dunstable,
who, no doubt, at this moment had Bernard Dale by her side. And then
she told herself that the hours were not tedious with her at home,
while sitting with her mother, with all her daily occupations within
her reach. But in so telling herself she took herself to task,
inquiring of herself whether such an assurance was altogether true.
Were not the hours sometimes tedious even at home? And in this way
her mind wandered off to thoughts upon life in general, and she
repeated to herself over and over again the two words which she had
told John Eames that she would write in her journal. The reader will
remember those two words;--Old Maid. And she had written them in her
book, making each letter a capital, and round them she had drawn a
scroll, ornamented after her own fashion, and she had added the date
in quaintly formed figures,--for in such matters Lily had some little
skill and a dash of fun to direct it; and she had inscribed below it
an Italian motto:--"Who goes softly, goes safely;" and above her work
of art she had put a heading--"As arranged by fate for L. D." Now she
thought of all this, and reflected whether Emily Dunstable was in
truth very happy. Presently the tears came into her eyes, and she got
up and went to the window, as though she were afraid that her uncle
might wake and see them. And as she looked out on the blank street,
she muttered a word or two--"Dear mother! Dearest mother!" Then the
door was opened, and her cousin Bernard announced himself. She had
not heard his knock at the door as she had been thinking of the two
words in her book.

"What; Bernard!--ah, yes, of course," said the squire, rubbing his
eyes as he strove to wake himself. "I wasn't sure you would come, but
I'm delighted to see you. I wish you joy with all my heart,--with all
my heart."

"Of course I should come," said Bernard. "Dear Lily, this is so good
of you. Emily is so delighted." Then Lily spoke her congratulations
warmly, and there was no trace of a tear in her eyes, and she was
thoroughly happy as she sat by her cousin's side and listened to
his raptures about Emi