if you like," said
Ermine, diversion suppressing displeasure.

"And what is your opinion of him?" said Rachel, edging forward on her
knees, so as to bring her inquisitorial eyes to bear more fully.

"I had not seen him for twelve years," said Ermine, rather faintly.

"He must have had a formed character when you saw him last. The twelve
years before five-and-forty don't alter the nature."

"Five-and-forty! Illness and climate have told, but I did not think it
was so much. He is only thirty-six--"

"That is not what I care about," said Rachel, "you are both of you so
cautious that you tell me what amounts to nothing! You should consider
how important it is to me to know something about the person in whose
power my cousin's affairs are left."

"Have you not sufficient guarantee in the very fact of her husband's
confidence?"

"I don't know. A simple-hearted old soldier always means a very foolish
old man."

"Witness the Newcomes," said Ermine, who, besides her usual amusement
in tracing Rachel's dicta to their source, could only keep in her
indignation by laughing.

"General observation," said Rachel, not to be turned from her purpose.
"I am not foolishly suspicious, but it is not pleasant to see great
influence and intimacy without some knowledge of the person exercising
it."

"I think," said Ermine, bringing herself with difficulty to answer
quietly, "that you can hardly understand the terms they are on without
having seen how much a staff officer becomes one of the family."

"I suppose much must be allowed for the frivolity and narrowness of
a military set in a colony. Imagine my one attempt at rational
conversation last night. Asking his views on female emigration,
absolutely he had none at all; he and Fanny only went off upon a
nursemaid married to a sergeant!"

"Perhaps the bearings of the question would hardly suit mixed company."

"To be sure there was a conceited young officer there; for as ill luck
will have it, my uncle's old regiment is quartered at Avoncester, and
I suppose they will all be coming after Fanny. It is well they are no
nearer, and as this colonel says he is going to Belfast in a day or two,
there will not be much provocation to them to come here. Now this great
event of the Major's coming is over, we will try to put Fanny upon a
definite system, and I look to you and your sister as a great assistance
to me, in counteracting the follies and nonsenses that her situation
naturally