ght; she was
comparing circumstances, which had before escaped her attention. She
recollected that Cecilia had passed her as she came into the hall,
without seeming to see her, but had blushed as she passed. She
remembered that the pedlar appeared unwilling to part with the box, and
was going to put it again into his pocket with the half-pence; "and why
should he keep it in his pocket and not show it with his other things?"
Combining all these circumstances, Leonora had no longer any doubt of
the truth; for though she had honourable confidence in her friends, she
had too much penetration to be implicitly credulous. "Louisa," she
began, but at this instant she heard a step, which, by its quickness,
she knew to be Cecilia's, coming along the passage. "If you love me,
Louisa," said Leonora, "say nothing about the box."

"Nay, but why not? I dare say she has lost it."

"No, my dear, I am afraid she has not." Louisa looked surprised.

"But I have reasons for desiring you not to say any thing about it."

"Well, then, I won't, indeed."

Cecilia opened the door, came forward smiling, as if secure of a good
reception, and, taking the Flora out of the case, she placed it on the
mantel-piece, opposite to Louisa's bed. "Dear, how beautiful," cried
Louisa, starting up.

"Yes," said Cecilia, "and guess who it's for?"

"For me, perhaps!" said the ingenuous Louisa.

"Yes, take it, and keep it for my sake; you know that I broke your
mandarin."

"O! but this is a great deal prettier and larger than that."

"Yes, I know it is; and I meant that it should be so. I should only have
done what I was bound to do if I had only given you a mandarin."

"Well, and that would have been enough, surely; but what a beautiful
crown of roses! and then that basket of flowers! they almost look as if
I could smell them. Dear Cecilia! I'm very much obliged to you, but I
won't take it by way of payment for the mandarin you broke; for I'm sure
you could not help that; and, besides, I should have broken it myself by
this time. You shall give it to me entirely, and I'll keep it as long as
I live as your keepsake."

Louisa stopped short and coloured. The word keepsake recalled the box
to her mind, and all the train of ideas which the Flora had banished.
"But," said she, looking up wishfully in Cecilia's face, and holding the
Flora doubtfully, "did you----"

Leonora, who was just quitting the room, turned her head back, and gave
Louisa a look, whic