a simple country gentleman's family."

Maria blushed and was silent.

The dinner, which was served on a most magnificent scale, wore itself
away, as all big county-dinners do, in bursts of sedate but not
profoundly interesting conversation. Indeed, had it not been for the
novelty of the sight, Maria would have been rather bored, the squire's
stately compliments notwithstanding. As it was, she felt inclined to
envy the party at the other end, amongst whom, looking down the long
vista of sparkling glass and silver, she could now and again catch
sight of Philip's face beaming with animation, and even in the pauses
of conversation hear the echo of his distant laughter.

"What good spirits he is in!" she thought to herself.

And, indeed, Philip was, or appeared to be, in excellent spirits. His
handsome face, that of late had been so gloomy, was lit up with
laughter, and he contrived by his witty talk to keep those round him
in continual merriment.

"Philip seems very happy, doesn't he," said George, _sotto voce_ to
Mrs. Bellamy, who was sitting next to him.

"You must be a very bad judge of the face as an index to the mind if
you think that he is happy. I have been watching him all dinner, and I
draw a very different conclusion."

"Why, look how he is laughing."

"Have you never seen a man laugh to hide his misery; never mind his
lips, watch his eyes: they are dilated with fear, see how he keeps
glancing towards his father and Miss Lee. There, did you see him
start? Believe me he is not happy, and unless I am mistaken he will be
even less so before the night is over. We are not all asked here for
nothing."

"I hope not, I hope not; if so we shall have to act upon our
information, eh! But, to change the subject, you look lovely
to-night."

"Of course I do, I _am_ lovely; I wish I could return the compliment,
but conscientiously I can't. Did you ever see such plate? look at that
centre-piece."

"It is wonderful," said George. "I never saw it at all out before. I
wonder," he added, with a sigh, "if I shall ever have the fingering of
it."

"Yes," she said, with a strange look of her large eyes, "if you
continue to be guided by me, you shall. I tell you so, and I _never_
make mistakes. Hush, something is going to happen. What is it?"

The dinner had come to an end, and in accordance with the old-
fashioned custom the cloth had been removed, leaving bare an ancient
table of polished oak nearly forty feet in lengt