striving to bully me." And Miss
Dunstable now took her turn of walking up and down the room.

"Well, she shan't be bullied," said Mis. Gresham, leaving her
flowers, and putting her arm round her friend's waist;--"at least,
not here, in this house, although she is sometimes such a bully
herself."

"Mary, you have gone too far about this to go back. Tell me what
it was that was on your mind, and as far as it concerns me, I will
answer you honestly." Mrs. Gresham now began to repent that she had
made her little attempt. That uttering of hints in a half-joking
way was all very well, and might possibly bring about the desired
results, without the necessity of any formal suggestion on her part;
but now she was so brought to book that she must say something
formal. She must commit herself to the expression of her own wishes,
and to an expression also of an opinion as to what had been the
wishes of her friend; and this she must do without being able to say
anything as to the wishes of that third person. "Well," she said, "I
suppose you know what I meant."

"I suppose I did," said Miss Dunstable; "but it is not at all the
less necessary that you should say it out. I am not to commit myself
by my interpretation of your thoughts, while you remain perfectly
secure in having only hinted your own. I hate hints, as I do--the
mischief. I go in for the bishop's doctrine. _Magna est veritas._"

"Well, I don't know," said Mrs. Gresham.

"Ah! but I do," said Miss Dunstable. "And therefore go on, or for
ever hold your peace."

"That's just it," said Mrs. Gresham.

"What's just it?" said Miss Dunstable.

"The quotation out of the Prayer Book which you finished just now.
'If any of you know cause or just impediment why these two persons
should not be joined together in holy matrimony, ye are to declare
it. This is the first time of asking.' Do you know any cause, Miss
Dunstable?"

"Do you know any, Mrs. Gresham?"

"None, on my honour!" said the younger lady, putting her hand upon
her breast.

"Ah! but do you not?" and Miss Dunstable caught hold of her arm, and
spoke almost abruptly in her energy.

"No, certainly not. What impediment? If I did, I should not have
broached the subject. I declare I think you would both be very happy
together. Of course, there is one impediment; we all know that. That
must be your look out."

"What do you mean? What impediment?"

"Your own money."

"Psha! Did you find that an impediment in ma