te dress, picturesquely half concealed
by her mantle, with flowers in her hair, and a deepened colour in her
cheek, was a fair vision, as she came in from the darkness.

"Well! was it a pleasant party?"

Norman related the circumstances, while his sister remained silently
leaning against the mantel-piece, looking into the fire, until he took
up his candle, and bade them good-night. Dr. May was about to do the
same, when she held out her hand. "One moment, if you please, dear
papa," she said; "I think you ought to know it."

"What, my dear?"

"Mr. George Rivers, papa--"

"Ha!" said Dr. May, beginning to smile. "So that is what he is at, is
it? But what an opportunity to take."

"It was in the conservatory," said Flora, a little hurt, as her father
discovered by her tone. "The music was going on, and I don't know that
there could have been--"

"A better opportunity, eh?" said Dr. May, laughing; "well, I should have
thought it awkward; was he very much discomposed?"

"I thought," said Flora, looking down and hesitating, "that he had
better come to you."

"Indeed! so you shifted the ungracious office to me. I am very glad to
spare you, my dear; but it was hard on him to raise his hopes."

"I thought," faltered Flora, "that you could not disapprove--"

"Flora--" and he paused, completely confounded, while his daughter was
no less surprised at the manner in which her news was received. Each
waited for the other to speak, and Flora turned away, resting her head
against the mantel-piece.

"Surely," said he, laying his hand on her shoulder, "you do not mean
that you like this man?"

"I did not think that you would be against it," said Flora, in a choked
voice, her face still averted.

"Heaven knows, I would not be against anything for your happiness, my
dear," he answered; "but have you considered what it would be to spend
your life with a man that has not three ideas! not a resource for
occupying himself--a regular prey to ennui--one whom you could never
respect!" He had grown more and more vehement, and Flora put her
handkerchief to her eyes, for tears of actual disappointment were
flowing.

"Come, come," he said, touched, but turning it off by a smile, "we will
not talk of it any more to-night. It is your first offer, and you are
flattered, but we know

"'Colours seen by candle-light,
Will not bear the light of day.'

"There, good-night, Flora, my dear--we will have a-tete-a-t