very well what she could do and what she could not. The old
family carriage and the two lady's maids were there,--as necessaries
of life; but London society was not within her reach. It was,
therefore, the case that they had not heard very much about Lizzie
Eustace. But they had heard something. "I hope she won't be too fond
of going out," said Amelia, the second girl.

"Or extravagant," said Georgina, the third.

"There was some story of her being terribly in debt when she married
Sir Florian Eustace," said Diana, the fourth.

"Frederic will be sure to see to that," said Augusta, the eldest.

"She is very beautiful," said Lydia, the fifth.

"And clever," said Cecilia, the sixth.

"Beauty and cleverness won't make a good wife," said Amelia, who was
the wise one of the family.

"Frederic will be sure to see that she doesn't go wrong," said
Augusta, who was not wise.

Then Lucy Morris entered the room with Nina, the cadette of the
family. "Oh, Nina, what do you think?" said Lydia.

"My dear!" said Lady Fawn, putting up her hand and stopping further
indiscreet speech.

"Oh, mamma, what is it?" asked the cadette.

"Surely Lucy may be told," said Lydia.

"Well, yes; Lucy may be told certainly. There can be no reason why
Lucy should not know all that concerns our family;--and the more so
as she has been for many years intimate with the lady. My dear, my
son is going to be married to Lady Eustace."

"Lord Fawn going to marry Lizzie!" said Lucy Morris, in a tone which
certainly did not express unmingled satisfaction.

"Unless you forbid the banns," said Diana.

"Is there any reason why he should not?" said Lady Fawn.

"Oh, no;--only it seems so odd. I didn't know that they knew each
other;--not well, that is. And then--"

"Then what, my dear?"

"It seems odd;--that's all. It's all very nice, I dare say, and I'm
sure I hope they will be happy." Lady Fawn, however, was displeased,
and did not speak to Lucy again before she started with Augusta on
the journey to London.

The carriage first stopped at the door of the married daughter in
Warwick Square. Now, Mrs. Hittaway, whose husband was chairman of
the Board of Civil Appeals and who was very well known at all Boards
and among official men generally, heard much more about things that
were going on than did her mother. And, having been emancipated from
maternal control for the last ten or twelve years, she could express
herself before her mother with more