you'll find it will answer better."

And so the old bird taught the young bird how to fly--very
needlessly--for in this matter of flying, Nature gives her own
lessons thoroughly; and the ducklings will take the water, even
though the maternal hen warn them against the perfidious element
never so loudly.

Soon after this, Lady de Courcy began to be not very well pleased
in the matter. She took it into her head that Miss Dunstable was
sometimes almost inclined to laugh at her; and on one or two
occasions it almost seemed as though Frank was joining Miss Dunstable
in doing so. The fact indeed was, that Miss Dunstable was fond of
fun; and, endowed as she was with all the privileges which two
hundred thousand pounds may be supposed to give to a young lady,
did not very much care at whom she laughed. She was able to make a
tolerably correct guess at Lady de Courcy's plan towards herself;
but she did not for a moment think that Frank had any intention
of furthering his aunt's views. She was, therefore, not at all
ill-inclined to have her revenge on the countess.

"How very fond your aunt is of you!" she said to him one wet morning,
as he was sauntering through the house; now laughing, and almost
romping with her--then teasing his sister about Mr Moffat--and then
bothering his lady-cousins out of all their propriety.

"Oh, very!" said Frank: "she is a dear, good woman, is my Aunt de
Courcy."

"I declare she takes more notice of you and your doings than of any
of your cousins. I wonder they ain't jealous."

"Oh! they're such good people. Bless me, they'd never be jealous."

"You are so much younger than they are, that I suppose she thinks you
want more of her care."

"Yes; that's it. You see she's fond of having a baby to nurse."

"Tell me, Mr Gresham, what was it she was saying to you last night? I
know we had been misbehaving ourselves dreadfully. It was all your
fault; you would make me laugh so."

"That's just what I said to her."

"She was talking about me, then?"

"How on earth should she talk of any one else as long as you are
here? Don't you know that all the world is talking about you?"

"Is it?--dear me, how kind! But I don't care a straw about any world
just at present but Lady de Courcy's world. What did she say?"

"She said you were very beautiful--"

"Did she?--how good of her!"

"No; I forgot. It--it was I that said that; and she said--what was
it she said? She said, that after all, beauty wa