xcept
Soyer and the London Directory, and even Bevil had never read the _Old
Red Sandstone_ nor Sir Charles Lyell. I have no opinion of the science
of soldiers or sailors.'

'You have told us nothing of Juliana's baby,' interposed Phoebe.

'She's exactly like the Goddess Pasht, in the Sydenham Palace! Juliana
does not like her a bit, because she is only a girl, and Bevil quite
worships her. Everything one of them likes, the other hates. They are a
study of the science of antipathies.'

'You should not fancy things, Bertha.'

'It is no fancy; every one is observing it. Augusta says she has only
twice found them together in their own house since Christmas, and Mervyn
says it is a warning against virulent constancy.'

'Then you saw Mervyn?' anxiously asked Phoebe.

'Only twice. He is at deadly feud with the Actons, because Bevil takes
Robert's part, and has been lecturing him about the withdrawing all the
subscriptions!'

'What?' asked Phoebe again.

'Oh! I thought Robert told you all, but there has been such a row! I
believe poor papa said something about letting Robert have an evening
school for the boys and young men at the distillery, but when he claimed
it, Mervyn said he knew nothing about it, and wouldn't hear of it, and
got affronted, so he withdrew all the subscriptions from the charities
and everything else, and the boys have been mobbing the clergy, and
Juliana says it is all Robert's fault.'

'And did you see Robert?'

'Very little. No one would come to such an old fogy's as Sir Nicholas,
that could help it.'

'Bertha, my dear, young ladies do not use such words,' observed her
mother.

'Oh, mamma, you are quite behindhand. Slang is the thing. I see my line
when I come out. It would not do for you, Phoebe--not your style--but I
shall sport it when I come out and go to the Actons. I shall go out with
them. Augusta is too slow, and lives with nothing but old admirals and
_gourmands_; but I'll always go to Juliana for the season, Phoebe, wear
my hair in the Eugenie style, and be piquante.'

'Perhaps things will be altered by that time.'

'Oh no. There will be no retrograde movement. Highly educated women
have acquired such a footing that they may do what they please.'

'Are we highly educated women?' asked Maria.

'I am sure you ought to be, my dear. Nothing was grudged for your
education,' said her mother.

'Well, then, I'll always play at bagatelle, and have a German band at