ly man that I can think of that would be at
all fit for you," said Mrs. Gresham, boldly.

"What, and rob poor Lady Scatcherd!" said Miss Dunstable.

"Oh, very well. If you choose to make a joke of his name in that way
I have done."

"Why, God bless the girl, what does she want me to say? And as for
joking, surely that is innocent enough. You're as tender about the
doctor as though he were a girl of seventeen."

"It's not about him; but it's such a shame to laugh at poor dear Lady
Scatcherd. If she were to hear it she'd lose all comfort in having my
uncle near her."

"And I'm to marry him, so that she may be safe with her friend!"

"Very well; I have done." And Mrs. Gresham, who had already got
up from her seat, employed herself very sedulously in arranging
flowers which had been brought in for the drawing-room tables. Thus
they remained silent for a minute or two, during which she began to
reflect that, after all, it might probably be thought that she also
was endeavouring to catch the great heiress for her uncle.

"And now you are angry with me," said Miss Dunstable.

"No, I am not."

"Oh, but you are. Do you think I'm such a fool as not to see when a
person's vexed? You wouldn't have twitched that geranium's head off
if you'd been in a proper frame of mind."

"I don't like that joke about Lady Scatcherd."

"And is that all, Mary? Now do try and be true, it you can. You
remember the bishop? _Magna est veritas._"

"The fact is you've got into such a way of being sharp, and saying
sharp things among your friends up in London, that you can hardly
answer a person without it."

"Can't I! Dear, dear, what a Mentor you are, Mary! No poor lad that
ever ran up from Oxford for a spree in town got so lectured for his
dissipation and iniquities as I do. Well, I beg Dr. Thorne's pardon,
and Lady Scatcherd's, and I won't be sharp any more; and I will--let
me see, what was it I was to do? Marry him myself, I believe; was not
that it?"

"No; you're not half good enough for him."

"I know that. I'm quite sure of that. Though I am so sharp, I'm very
humble. You can't accuse me of putting any very great value on
myself."

"Perhaps not as much as you ought to do--on yourself."

"Now what do you mean, Mary? I won't be bullied and teased, and have
innuendoes thrown out at me, because you've got something on your
mind, and don't quite dare to speak it out. If you have got anything
to say, say it." But Mrs. Gresham did