l occur so very
provokingly at the most inopportune times. Miss Winter was seized
with one of the uncontrollable fits of shyness, her bondage to
which she had so lately been grieving over to Mary; and in
self-defence, and without meaning in the least to do so, drew
himself up, and looked as proud as you please.

Hardy, whose sensitiveness was almost as keen as a woman's, felt
in a moment the awkwardness of the situation, and became as shy
as Miss Winter herself. If the floor would have suddenly opened,
and let him through into the dark shop, he would have been
thankful; but, as it would not, there he stood, meditating a
sudden retreat from the room and a tremendous onslaught on Tom,
as soon as he could catch him alone, for getting him into such a
scrape. Tom was provoked with them all for not at once feeling at
ease with one another, and stood twirling his cap by the tassel,
and looking fiercely at it, resolved not to break the silence. He
had been at all the trouble of bringing about this charming
situation, and now nobody seemed to like it, or to know what to
say or do. They ought to get themselves out of it as they could,
for anything he cared; he was not going to bother himself any
more.

Mary looked in the glass, to see that her bonnet was quite right,
and then from one to another of her companions, in a little
wonder at their unaccountable behavior, and a little pique that
two young men should be standing there like unpleasant images,
and not availing themselves of the privilege of trying, at least,
to make themselves agreeable to her. Luckily, however, for the
party, the humorous side of the tableau struck her with great
force, so that when Tom lifted his misanthropic eyes for a
moment, and caught hers, they were so full of fun that he had
nothing to do but to allow herself, not without a struggle, to
break first into a smile and then into a laugh. This brought all
eyes to bear on him, and the ice, being once broken, dissolved as
quickly as it had gathered.

"I really can't see what there is to laugh at, Tom," said Miss
Winter, smiling herself, nevertheless, and blushing a little, as
she worked or pretended to work at buttoning one of her gloves.

"Can't you, Kate? Well, then, isn't it very ridiculous, and
enough to make one laugh, that we four should be standing here in
a sort of Quaker's meeting, when we ought to be half-way to the
Long Walk by this time?"

"Oh do let us start," said Mary; "I know we s