to screen
herself.

"Your candour, Mr. Vernon," she said, avoiding his eye, "deserves
candour in me; I cannot affect to misunderstand you. But you take me by
surprise; I was so unprepared for this. Give me time,--I must reflect."

"Reflection is dull work in the country; you can reflect more amusingly
in town, my fair cousin."

"I will wait, then, till I find myself in town."

"Ah, you make me the happiest, the most grateful of men," cried
Mr. Vernon, rising, with a semi-genuflection which seemed to imply,
"Consider yourself knelt to,"--just as a courteous assailer, with a
motion of the hand, implies, "Consider yourself horsewhipped."

Lucretia, who, with all her intellect, had no capacity for humour,
recoiled, and looked up in positive surprise.

"I do not understand you, Mr. Vernon," she said, with austere gravity.

"Allow me the bliss of flattering myself that you, at least, are
understood," replied Charley Vernon, with imperturbable assurance. "You
will wait to reflect till you are in town,--that is to say, the day
after our honeymoon, when you awake in Mayfair."

Before Lucretia could reply, she saw the indefatigable valet formally
approaching, with the anticipated message that Sir Miles requested to
see her. She replied hurriedly to this last, that she would be with her
uncle immediately; and when he had again disappeared within the porch,
she said, with a constrained effort at frankness,--

"Mr. Vernon, if I have misunderstood your words, I think I do not
mistake your character. You cannot wish to take advantage of my
affection for my uncle, and the passive obedience I owe to him, to
force me into a step of which--of which--I have not yet sufficiently
considered the results. If you really desire that my feelings should be
consulted, that I should not--pardon me--consider myself sacrificed to
the family pride of my guardian and the interests of my suitor--"

"Madam!" exclaimed Vernon, reddening.

Pleased with the irritating effect her words had produced, Lucretia
continued calmly, "If, in a word, I am to be a free agent in a choice
on which my happiness depends, forbear to urge Sir Miles further at
present; forbear to press your suit upon me. Give me the delay of a few
months; I shall know how to appreciate your delicacy."

"Miss Clavering," answered Vernon, with a touch of the St. John
haughtiness, "I am in despair that you should even think so grave an
appeal to my honour necessary. I am well aware