her
that Phoebus in knickerbockers should or should not become lord of Ongar
Park? To effect success now, she must maintain an ascendency during this
coming interview, and in the maintenance of all ascendency, much depends
on the outward man or woman; and she must think a little of the words
she must use, and a little, too, of her own purpose. She was fully
minded to get the better of Mrs. Burton if that might be possible, but
she was not altogether decided on the other point. She wished that Harry
Clavering might be her own. She would have wished to pension off that
Florence Burton with half her wealth, had such pensioning been possible.
But not the less did she entertain some half doubts whether it would not
be well that she could abandon her own wishes, and give up her own hope
of happiness. Of Mrs. Burton personally she had known nothing, and
having expected to see a somewhat strong-featured and perhaps rather
vulgar woman, and to hear a voice painfully indicative of a strong mind,
she was agreeably surprised to find a pretty, mild lady, who from the
first showed that she was half afraid of what she herself was doing. "I
have heard your name, Mrs. Burton," said Lady Ongar, "from our mutual
friend, Mr. Clavering, and I have no doubt you have heard mine from him
also." This she said in accordance with the little plan which, during
those fifteen minutes, she had laid down for her own guidance.

Mrs. Burton was surprised, and at first almost silenced, by this open
mentioning of a name which she had felt that she would have the greatest
difficulty in approaching. She said, however, that it was so. She had
heard Lady Ongar's name from Mr. Clavering. "We are connected, you
know," said Lady Ongar. "My sister is married to his first cousin, Sir
Hugh; and when I was living with my sister at Clavering, he was at the
rectory there. That was before my own marriage." She was perfectly easy
in her manner, and flattered herself that the ascendency was complete.

"I have heard so much from Mr. Clavering," said Cecilia.

"And he was very civil to me immediately on my return home. Perhaps you
may have heard that also. He took this house for me, and made himself
generally useful, as young men ought to do. I believe he is in the same
office with your husband; is he not? I hope I may not have been the
means of making him idle?"

This was all very well and very pretty, but Mrs. Burton was already
beginning to feel that she was doing no