a handsome repeater which chronicled Father
Time to a moment; also a mosaic brooch; also a miniature of her uncle,
the admiral, set in a bracelet. For the evening she had two handsome
sets,--necklace, earrings, and bracelets complete,--one of amethysts,
the other topazes. With these, her costume for the most part was a
gold-coloured satin and a turban, in which last her picture had been
taken. Mrs. Mervale had an aquiline nose, good teeth, fair hair, and
light eyelashes, rather a high complexion, what is generally called a
fine bust; full cheeks; large useful feet made for walking; large, white
hands with filbert nails, on which not a speck of dust had, even in
childhood, ever been known to a light. She looked a little older than
she really was; but that might arise from a certain air of dignity and
the aforesaid aquiline nose. She generally wore short mittens. She never
read any poetry but Goldsmith's and Cowper's. She was not amused by
novels, though she had no prejudice against them. She liked a play and
a pantomime, with a slight supper afterwards. She did not like concerts
nor operas. At the beginning of the winter she selected some book to
read, and some piece of work to commence. The two lasted her till the
spring, when, though she continued to work, she left off reading. Her
favourite study was history, which she read through the medium of Dr.
Goldsmith. Her favourite author in the belles lettres was, of course,
Dr. Johnson. A worthier woman, or one more respected, was not to be
found, except in an epitaph!

It was an autumn night. Mr. and Mrs. Mervale, lately returned from an
excursion to Weymouth, are in the drawing-room,--"the dame sat on this
side, the man sat on that."

"Yes, I assure you, my dear, that Glyndon, with all his eccentricities,
was a very engaging, amiable fellow. You would certainly have liked
him,--all the women did."

"My dear Thomas, you will forgive the remark,--but that expression of
yours, 'all the WOMEN'--"

"I beg your pardon,--you are right. I meant to say that he was a general
favourite with your charming sex."

"I understand,--rather a frivolous character."

"Frivolous! no, not exactly; a little unsteady,--very odd, but certainly
not frivolous; presumptuous and headstrong in character, but modest and
shy in his manners, rather too much so,--just what you like. However,
to return; I am seriously uneasy at the accounts I have heard of him
to-day. He has been living, it seems,