her? Why
should I think about them? Yet I must care for Fanny, I must dislike to
see her lower herself even in the eyes of the world. Would it really be
lowering herself? I cannot tell, I must think it out. I wish that game
was over, or that Grace would let one speak."

But songs and whist both lasted till the evening was ended by Lady
Temple coming up to the curate with her winnings and her pretty smile,
"Please, Mr. Touchett, let this go towards some treat for the school
children. I should not like to give it in any serious way, you know, but
just for some little pleasure for them."

If she had done it on purpose, she could not have better freshly
riveted his chains. That pensive simplicity, with the smile of heartfelt
satisfaction at giving pleasure to anybody, were more and more engaging
as her spirits recovered their tone, and the most unsatisfactory
consideration which Rachel carried away that evening was that Alexander
Keith being really somewhat the senior, if the improvement in Fanny's
spirits were really owing to his presence, the objection on the score
of age would not hold. But, thought Rachel, Colonel Keith being her own,
what united power they should have over Fanny. Pooh! she had by no means
resigned herself to have him, though for Fanny's sake it might be well,
and was there not a foolish prejudice in favour of married women, that
impeded the usefulness of single ones? However, if the stiff, dry old
man approved of her for her fortune's sake, that would be quite reason
enough for repugnance.

The stiff old man was the pink of courtesy, and paid his respects in due
order to his brother's friends the next day, Colin attending in his old
aide-de-camp fashion. It was curious to see them together. The old
peer was not at all ungracious to his brother; indeed, Colin had been
agreeably surprised by an amount of warmth and brotherliness that he
had never experienced from him before, as if old age had brought a
disposition to cling to the remnant of the once inconveniently large
family, and make much of the last survivor, formerly an undesirable
youngest favourite, looked on with jealous eyes and thwarted and
retaliated on for former petting, as soon as the reins of government
fell from the hands of the aged father. Now, the elder brother was kind
almost to patronizing, though evidently persuaded that Colin was a gay
careless youth, with no harm in him, but needing to be looked after; and
as to the Cape, India