red my affection to be influenced
by mere worldly advantages. She was a great heiress; she had a most
powerful family connection."

"How absurd you are!" said Lady Lyle, good-humoredly.

"Let him explain himself, mamma; it is so very seldom he will condescend
to let us learn any of his sentiments on any subject. Let us hear him
about marriage."

"It is an institution I sincerely venerate. If I have not entered into
the holy estate myself, it is simply from feeling I am not good enough.
I stand without the temple, and only strain my eyes to catch a glimpse
of the sanctuary."

"Does it appear to you so very awful and appalling, then?" said my Lady.

"Certainly it does. All the efforts of our present civilization seem
directed to that end. We surround it with whatever can inspire terror.
We call in the Law as well as the Church,--we add the Statutes to
the Liturgy; and we close the whole with the most depressing of all
festivities,--a wedding-breakfast."

"And the Mandans, do they take a more cheerful view of matters?" asked
Alice.

"How can you be so silly, Alice?" cried Lady Lyle.

"My dear mamma, are you forgetting what a marvellous opportunity we
enjoy of learning the geography of an unknown sea, from one of the only
voyagers who has ever traversed it?"

"Do you mean to go to Tilney, Alice?" asked her mother, curtly.

"If Mr. Maitland would like to add Mrs. Maxwell to his curiosities of
acquaintance."

"I have met her already. I think her charming. She told me of some port,
or a pair of coach-horses, I can't be certain which, her late husband
purchased forty-two years ago; and she so mingled the subjects together,
that I fancied the horses were growing yellow, and the wine actually
frisky."

"I see that you _have_ really listened to her," said Mrs. Trafford.
"Well, do you consent to this visit?"

"Delighted. Tell me, by way of parenthesis, is she a near neighbor of
the worthy Commodore with the charming daughters? Gambier Graham, I
think his name is."

"Yes; she lives about twelve miles from his cottage: but why do you
ask?"

"I have either promised, or he fancies I have promised, to pay him a
flying visit."

"Another case of a savage princess," whispered Mrs. Trafford; and he
laughed heartily at the conceit. "If we take the low road,--it's very
little longer and much prettier,--we pass the cottage; and if your visit
be not of great length, more than a morning call, in fact,--I 'll go
there with