still standing in the
middle of the room when she heard her lover thus described; but she
would not condescend to plead in answer to such a charge. The colour
came to her cheeks, and she threw up her head with a gesture of angry
pride, but at the moment she said nothing. Mrs. Ray spoke.

"It seems to me, Dorothea," she said, "that you are mistaken there. I
think he has dismissed Mr. Tappitt."

"I don't know much about it," said Mrs. Prime; "I only know that
they've quarrelled."

"But it would be well that you should learn, because I'm sure you
will be glad to think as well of your brother-in-law as possible."

"Do you mean that he is engaged to marry Rachel?"

"Yes, Dorothea. I think we may say that it is all settled
now;--mayn't we, Rachel? And a very excellent young man he is,--and
as for being well off, a great deal better than what a child of mine
could have expected. And a fine comely fellow he is, as a woman's eye
would wish to rest on."

"Beauty is but skin deep," said Mrs. Prime, with no little
indignation in her tone, that a thing so vile as personal comeliness
should have been mentioned by her mother on such an occasion.

"When he came out here and drank tea with us that evening," continued
Mrs. Ray, "I took a liking to him most unaccountable, unless it was
that I had a foreshadowing that he was going to be so near and dear
to me."

"Mother, there can have been nothing of the kind. You should not say
such things. The Lord in his providence allows us no foreshadowing of
that kind."

"At any rate I liked him very much; didn't I, Rachel?--from the first
moment I set eyes on him. Only I don't think he'll ever do away with
cider in Devonshire, because of the apple trees. But if people are
to drink beer it stands to reason that good beer will be better than
bad."

All this time Rachel had not spoken a word, nor had her sister
uttered anything expressive of congratulation or good wishes. Now,
as Mrs. Ray ceased, there came a silence in the room, and it was
incumbent on the elder sister to break it.

"If this matter is settled, Rachel--"

"It is settled,--I think," said Rachel.

"If it is settled I hope that it may be for your lasting happiness
and eternal welfare."

"I hope it will," said Rachel.

"Marriage is a most important step."

"That's quite true, my dear," said Mrs. Ray.

"A most important step, and one that requires the most exact
circumspection,--especially on the part of the young w