and I were to be the hero and
heroine, and which was to end in our happy marriage. With this view
they arranged for our meeting at the tea-party, and avoided all
mention of each to the other, that we might meet in the (so to speak)
incidental way characteristic of real love stories. With that
suspiciousness of people in general, and of young people in
particular, which haunted Miss Martha, she attributed my ready
acceptance of the invitation to my having heard of Mr. Smith's
arrival, and to the unusual attraction of an eligible gentleman at the
tea-party. Little did she guess the benevolent plans which on my part
I had formed for her, and which the merchant's youthful appearance had
dashed to the ground.

"It is sometimes the case, my dear Ida, that people who make these
kind plans for their friends, become dissatisfied with the success of
their arrangements if they themselves cease to be the good genii of
the plot. If, that is, matters seem likely to fall out as they wish,
but without their assistance. It was so with the Misses Brooke, and
especially with Miss Martha. Fully aware of the end which she in her
own mind proposed to our acquaintance, my long conversation with the
merchant struck her as an indelicate readiness to accept attentions
which had matrimony in her perspective, and which she had designed to
be the gradual result of sundry well-chaperoned and studiously
incidental interviews at the Cottage. And when, so far from thankfully
accepting these incidental meetings, the merchant took upon himself to
become an almost daily visitor at our house, and delayed his return to
London far beyond the time proposed for his departure, the good lady's
view underwent a decided change. It was 'a pity' that a young man like
John Smith should neglect his business. It was also 'a pity' that dear
Mary's mother was not at home. And when I took occasion casually to
allude to the fact that Mr. Smith's visits were paid to my father, and
(with the exception of an occasional meal) were passed in the study
amongst German pamphlets, my statement was met by kind, incredulous
smiles, and supplemented with general and somewhat irritating
observations on the proper line of conduct for young ladies at certain
crises of life. Nothing could be kinder than Miss Martha's intentions,
and her advice might have been a still greater kindness if she would
have spoken straight-forwardly, and believed what I said. As it was, I
left off going to Bel