she partook of them, occasionally laying down her knife and
fork, as saying within her own spirit, 'What is this I am doing?' and
glaring at one or other of the party, as if in indignant search of
information. A magnetic result of such glaring was, that the person
glared at could not by any means successfully pretend to be ignorant of
the fact: so that a bystander, without beholding Mrs Wilfer at all, must
have known at whom she was glaring, by seeing her refracted from the
countenance of the beglared one.

Miss Lavinia was extremely affable to Mr Sampson on this special
occasion, and took the opportunity of informing her sister why.

'It was not worth troubling you about, Bella, when you were in a sphere
so far removed from your family as to make it a matter in which you
could be expected to take very little interest,' said Lavinia with a
toss of her chin; 'but George Sampson is paying his addresses to me.'

Bella was glad to hear it. Mr Sampson became thoughtfully red, and
felt called upon to encircle Miss Lavinia's waist with his arm; but,
encountering a large pin in the young lady's belt, scarified a finger,
uttered a sharp exclamation, and attracted the lightning of Mrs Wilfer's
glare.

'George is getting on very well,' said Miss Lavinia which might not have
been supposed at the moment--'and I dare say we shall be married, one of
these days. I didn't care to mention it when you were with your Bof--'
here Miss Lavinia checked herself in a bounce, and added more placidly,
'when you were with Mr and Mrs Boffin; but now I think it sisterly to
name the circumstance.'

'Thank you, Lavvy dear. I congratulate you.'

'Thank you, Bella. The truth is, George and I did discuss whether
I should tell you; but I said to George that you wouldn't be much
interested in so paltry an affair, and that it was far more likely you
would rather detach yourself from us altogether, than have him added to
the rest of us.'

'That was a mistake, dear Lavvy,' said Bella.

'It turns out to be,' replied Miss Lavinia; 'but circumstances have
changed, you know, my dear. George is in a new situation, and his
prospects are very good indeed. I shouldn't have had the courage to tell
you so yesterday, when you would have thought his prospects poor, and
not worth notice; but I feel quite bold tonight.'

'When did you begin to feel timid, Lavvy? inquired Bella, with a smile.

'I didn't say that I ever felt timid, Bella,' replied the Irrepressib