fall in
love with a boy."

"Well, and if I did, has that prevented me carrying out all your
directions?"

"It has blindfolded and paralyzed you--that is all!"

"It maddened me to know that he loved another, and yet I acted with
coolness throughout."

"What was this penniless boy to either of us, that you should have
thwarted, or, at least, delayed all my plans for James Harrington----"

"He is all the world to me!" cried Agnes, "Worth ten thousand General
Harringtons and James Harringtons. I tell you, once for all, I would not
marry that solemn-faced bachelor, with all his millions, if he were at
my feet this instant."

"And this is why you would not obey the directions I gave, regarding
your conduct toward him?"

"Obey! why, everything was done to the letter. I followed him to the
conservatory, and kept him half an hour that morning talking over Miss
Lina's studies. One by one I gathered the flowers so often mentioned in
that journal, and tied them in a bouquet, which I offered him; blushing,
I am sure, as much as you could wish, for my face burned like flame."

"Well, did he take the flowers?"

"He turned white at the first glance, and put them back with his hand;
muttering that the scent of verbena and roses together, always made him
faint."

"Ha!--he said that--he turned pale; it is better than I expected?" cried
the woman, eagerly. "Well, what else?"

"Nothing more. He went out from the conservatory at once, leaving me
standing there, half-frightened to death with the bouquet in my hand;
but I turned it to account."

"Well, how?"

"Why, as it produced so decided an effect in one quarter, I concluded to
make another experiment, and went into Mrs. Harrington's boudoir with
the flowers in my hand. She saw them--started and blushed to the
temples--hesitated an instant, and then held out her hand; it trembled
like a leaf, and I could see her eyes fill with moisture--not tears
exactly, but a sort of tender dew. It was enough to make one pity her,
when I kept back the bouquet, saying, that it had just been given to
me."

"Well, what followed? You are sure it was the flowers--that she
recognized the arrangement at once?"

"It could be nothing else; besides, she became cold and haughty all at
once. The blush left her face pale as snow, and she shrouded her eyes
with one hand, as if to shut me and my flowers out from her sight. I saw
her hand shiver as I fastened the roses upon my bosom; and when I went