the eye with glistening green and red: and, in the
embrasure of the front window stood a young holly-tree entire, eighteen
feet high, and gorgeous with five hundred branches of red berries. The
tree had been dug up, and planted here in an enormous bucket, used for
that purpose, and filled with mold.

Close behind this tree were placed two of the wax pillars, lighted, and
their flame shone through the leaves and berries magically.

As Miss Carden entered, on Mr. Raby's arm, her eye swept the room with
complacency, and settled on the holly-tree. At sight of that she
pinched Mr. Raby's arm, and cried "Oh!" three times. Then, ignoring the
dinner-table altogether, she pulled her host away to the tree, and stood
before it, with clasped hands. "Oh, how beautiful!"

Mr. Raby was gratified. "So then our forefathers were not quite such
fools as some people say."

"They were angels, they were ducks. It is beautiful, it is divine."

Mr. Raby looked at the glowing cheek, and deep, sparkling, sapphire eye.
"Come," said he; "after all, there's nothing here so beautiful as the
young lady who now honors the place with her presence."

With this he handed her ceremoniously to a place at his right hand; said
a short grace, and sat down between his two guests.

"But, Mr. Raby," said Grace, ruefully, "I'm with my back to the
holly-tree."

"You can ask Coventry to change places."

Mr. Coventry rose, and the change was effected.

"Well, it is your doing, Coventry. Now she'll overlook YOU."

"All the better for me, perhaps. I'm content: Miss Carden will look at
the holly, and I shall look at Miss Carden."

"Faute de mieux."

"C'est mechant."

"And I shall fine you both a bumper of champagne, for going out of the
English language."

"I shall take my punishment like a man."

"Then take mine as well. Champagne with me means frenzy."

But, in the midst of the easy banter and jocose airy nothings of the
modern dining-room, an object attracted Grace's eye. It was a picture,
with its face turned to the wall, and some large letters on the back of
the canvas.

This excited Grace's curiosity directly, and, whenever she could,
without being observed, she peeped, and tried to read the inscription;
but, what with Mr. Raby's head, and a monster candle that stood before
it, she could not decipher it unobserved. She was inclined to ask Mr.
Raby; but she was very quick, and, observing that the other portraits
were of his family, she suspe