nd, before I had ever seen my cousins? Supposing that
mamma hadn't been the Countess--"

"But she is."

"So they say now;--but if they had said that she was not, nobody
would have thought it wrong then for me to marry Mr. Thwaite."

"Don't you think it wrong yourself?"

"It would be best for me to say that I would never marry any one at
all. He would be very angry with me."

"Lord Lovel?"

"Oh no;--not Lord Lovel. Daniel would be very angry, because he
really loves me. But it would not be so bad to him as though I became
Lord Lovel's wife. I will tell you the truth, dear. I am ashamed to
marry Mr. Thwaite,--not for myself, but because I am Lord Lovel's
cousin and mamma's daughter. And I should be ashamed to marry Lord
Lovel."

"Why, dear?"

"Because I should be false and ungrateful! I should be afraid to
stand before him if he looked at me. You do not know how he can look.
He, too, can command. He, too, is noble. They believe it is the money
he wants, and when they call him a tailor, they think that he must be
mean. He is not mean. He is clever, and can talk about things better
than my cousin. He can work hard and give away all that he earns. And
so could his father. They gave all they had to us, and have never
asked it again. I kissed him once,--and then he said I had paid all
my mother's debt." Alice Bluestone shrank within herself when she was
told by this daughter of a countess of such a deed. It was horrid
to her mind that a tailor should be kissed by a Lady Anna Lovel.
But she herself had perhaps been as generous to the black-browed
young barrister, and had thought no harm. "They think I do not
understand,--but I do. They all want this money, and then they accuse
him, and say he does it that he may become rich. He would give up all
the money,--just for me. How would you feel if it were like that with
you?"

"I think that a girl who is a lady, should never marry a man who is
not a gentleman. You know the story of the rich man who could not
get to Abraham's bosom because there was a gulf fixed. That is how
it should be;--just as there is with royal people as to marrying
royalty. Otherwise everything would get mingled, and there would soon
be no difference. If there are to be differences, there should be
differences. That is the meaning of being a gentleman,--or a lady."
So spoke the young female Conservative with wisdom beyond her
years;--nor did she speak quite in vain.

"I believe what I had better