!' thought Miss Fennimore, 'Phoebe is gone, too, so she will
keep guard.'

If Miss Fennimore could have looked through the door, she would have seen
the astonished Maria pounced upon, as if in sport, pulled up-stairs, and
desired by Bertha to find her book of dried flowers to show Mr. Randolf.
Naughty Bertha, who really did not believe the dried flowers had ever
been brought home from Woolstone-lane! It served the manoeuvrer right,
that Maria, after one look at the shelves, began to cry out for Phoebe to
come and find them. But it signified the less since the lovers had not
left the hall, and had exchanged all the words that there was time for
before Bertha, at the sound of the re-opening door, flew down to put her
hand into Humfrey's and grasp it tightly, looking in his face instead of
speaking. 'Thank you,' he said, returning the pressure, and was gone.
'We improve as we go on. Number three is the best of my brothers-in-law,
Phoebe,' said Bertha, lightly. Then leaving Phoebe to pacify Maria about
the flowers, she went into her own room, and cried bitterly and
overpoweringly.

CHAPTER XXXI

_Thekla_. I should love thee.
Whate'er thou hadst chosen, thou wouldst still have acted
Nobly and worthy of thee; but repentance
Shall ne'er disturb thy soul's fair peace.

_Max_. Then I must leave thee; must part from thee!

_Thekla_. Being faithful
To thine own self, thou art faithful too to me.--_Wallenstein_

Phoebe and Maria went alone to the Park to receive the bridal pair, for
poor Bertha was so nervous and unhinged as not even to wish to leave the
fireside. It was plain that she must not be deprived of an elder
sister's care, and that it would be unlikely that she would ever have
nerve enough to undertake the charge of Maria, even if Phoebe could think
of shifting the responsibility, or if a feeble intellect could be
expected to yield the same deference to a younger sister as came
naturally to an elder one.

Thus Phoebe's heart was somewhat heavy as she braced herself for her
communication to Mervyn, doubtful as to the extent of his probable
displeasure, but for that very cause resolved on dealing openly from the
first, while satisfied that, at her age, his right was rather to
deference than to surrender of judgment. Maria roamed through the house,
exclaiming at the alterations, and Phoebe sat still in the concentrated,
resolute stil