are going to recommend me?' she said, with a coaxing look.

'You know I think it a monstrous thing.'

'But you know of a place, and will help me to it!' cried she, clapping
her hands. 'Dear good Mr. Pendy, always a friend in need!'

'Well, if you will have it so. It is not so bad as strangers. There's
George's wife come to town to see a governess for little Sarah, and she
won't do.'

'Shall I do?' asked Lucilla, with a droll shake of her sunny hair. 'Yes.
I know you would vouch for me as tutoress to all the Princesses; able to
teach the physical sciences, the guitar, and Arabic in three lessons; but
if Mrs. Prendergast be the woman I imagine, much she will believe you.
Aren't they inordinately clever?'

'Little Sarah is--let me see--quite a child. Her father did teach her,
but he has less time in his new parish, and they think she ought to have
more accomplishment, polish, and such like.'

'And imagine from the specimen before them that I must be an adept at
polishing Prendergasts.'

'Now, Cilla, do be serious. Tell me if all this meant nothing, and I
shall be very glad. If you were in earnest, I could not be so well
satisfied to see you anywhere else. You would find Mrs. Prendergast
quite a mother to you.'

'Only one girl! I wanted a lot of riotous boys, but beggars must not be
choosers. This is just right--people out of the way of those who knew me
in my palmy days, yet not absolute strangers.'

'That was what induced me--they are so much interested about you, Cilla.'

'And you have made a fine heroic story. I should not wonder if it all
broke down when the parties met. When am I to be trotted out for
inspection?'

'Why, I told her if I found you really intended it, and had time, I would
ask you to drive to her with me this morning, and then no one need know
anything about it,' he said, almost with tears in his eyes.

'That's right,' cried Lucilla. 'It will be settled before Owen turns up.
I'll get ready this instant. I say,' she added at the door, 'housemaids
always come to be hired minus crinoline and flowers, is it the same with
governesses?'

'Cilla, how can you?' said her friend, excessively distressed at the
inferior position, but his depression only inspired her with a
reactionary spirit of mischief.

'Crape is inoffensive, but my hair! What shall I do with it? Does Mrs.
Prendergast hold the prejudice against pretty governesses?'

'She would take Venus herself if she talked no