hat we might
talk to each other while we were dressing. "Keep me always doing
something," she said; "keep me always in company with somebody. Don't
let me think--that is all I ask now, Marian--don't let me think."

This sad change in her only increases her attractions for Sir Percival.
He interprets it, I can see, to his own advantage. There is a feverish
flush in her cheeks, a feverish brightness in her eyes, which he
welcomes as the return of her beauty and the recovery of her spirits.
She talked to-day at dinner with a gaiety and carelessness so false, so
shockingly out of her character, that I secretly longed to silence her
and take her away. Sir Percival's delight and surprise appeared to be
beyond all expression. The anxiety which I had noticed on his face
when he arrived totally disappeared from it, and he looked, even to my
eyes, a good ten years younger than he really is.

There can be no doubt--though some strange perversity prevents me from
seeing it myself--there can be no doubt that Laura's future husband is
a very handsome man. Regular features form a personal advantage to
begin with--and he has them. Bright brown eyes, either in man or
woman, are a great attraction--and he has them. Even baldness, when it
is only baldness over the forehead (as in his case), is rather becoming
than not in a man, for it heightens the head and adds to the
intelligence of the face. Grace and ease of movement, untiring
animation of manner, ready, pliant, conversational powers--all these
are unquestionable merits, and all these he certainly possesses.
Surely Mr. Gilmore, ignorant as he is of Laura's secret, was not to
blame for feeling surprised that she should repent of her marriage
engagement? Any one else in his place would have shared our good old
friend's opinion. If I were asked, at this moment, to say plainly what
defects I have discovered in Sir Percival, I could only point out two.
One, his incessant restlessness and excitability--which may be caused,
naturally enough, by unusual energy of character. The other, his
short, sharp, ill-tempered manner of speaking to the servants--which
may be only a bad habit after all. No, I cannot dispute it, and I will
not dispute it--Sir Percival is a very handsome and a very agreeable
man. There! I have written it down at last, and I am glad it's over.

18th.--Feeling weary and depressed this morning, I left Laura with Mrs.
Vesey, and went out alone for one of my brisk