de of her sufferings than need
be, I returned to the drawing-room.

'Captain Oakley has been here, my dear, and fancying, I suppose, that you
had left us for the evening, has gone to the billiard-room, I think,' said
Lady Knollys, as I entered.

That, then, accounted for the rumble and smack of balls which I had heard
as I passed the door.

'I have been telling Maud how detestably she is got up.'

'Very thoughtful of you, Monica!' said my father.

'Yes, and really, Austin, it is quite clear you ought to marry; you want
some one to take this girl out, and look after her, and who's to do it?
She's a dowdy--don't you see? Such a dust! And it _is_ really such a pity;
for she's a very pretty creature, and a clever woman could make her quite
charming.'

My father took Cousin Monica's sallies with the most wonderful good-humour.
She had always, I fancy, been a privileged person, and my father, whom we
all feared, received her jolly attacks, as I fancy the grim Front-de-Boeufs
of old accepted the humours and personalities of their jesters.

'Am I to accept this as an overture?' said my father to his voluble cousin.

'Yes, you may, but not for myself, Austin--I'm not worthy. Do you remember
little Kitty Weadon that I wanted you to marry eight-and-twenty years ago,
or more, with a hundred and twenty thousand pounds? Well, you know, she
has got ever so much now, and she is really a most amiable old thing, and
though _you_ would not have her then, she has had her second husband since,
I can tell you.'

'I'm glad I was not the first,' said my father.

'Well, they really say her wealth is absolutely immense. Her last husband,
the Russian merchant, left her everything. She has not a human relation,
and she is in the best set.'

'You were always a match-maker, Monica,' said my father, stopping, and
putting his hand kindly on hers. 'But it won't do. No, no, Monica; we must
take care of little Maud some other way.'

I was relieved. We women have all an instinctive dread of second marriages,
and think that no widower is quite above or below that danger; and I
remember, whenever my father, which indeed was but seldom, made a visit to
town or anywhere else, it was a saying of Mrs. Rusk--

'I shan't wonder, neither need you, my dear, if he brings home a young wife
with him.'

So my father, with a kind look at her, and a very tender one on me, went
silently to the library, as he often did about that hour.

I could not help r