m which all the men and women return
home cross, and which induce some half-hearted folk to declare to
themselves that they never will hunt again. When the master decided a
little after three that he would draw no more, because there wasn't a
yard of scent, our party had nine or ten miles to ride back to their
carriages. Lizzie was very tired, and, when Lord George took her from
her horse, could almost have cried from fatigue. Mrs. Carbuncle was
never fatigued, but she had become damp,--soaking wet through, as she
herself said,--during the four minutes that the man was absent with
her waterproof jacket, and could not bring herself to forget the
ill-usage she had suffered. Lucinda had become absolutely dumb, and
any observer would have fancied that the two gentlemen had quarrelled
with each other. "You ought to go on the box now," said Sir Griffin,
grumbling. "When you're my age, and I'm yours, I will," said Lord
George, taking his seat in the carriage. Then he appealed to Lizzie.
"You'll let me smoke, won't you?" She simply bowed her head. And
so they went home,--Lord George smoking, and the ladies dumb.
Lizzie, as she dressed for dinner, almost cried with vexation and
disappointment.

There was a little conversation up-stairs between Mrs. Carbuncle and
Lucinda, when they were free from the attendance of their joint maid.
"It seems to me," said Mrs. Carbuncle, "that you won't make up your
mind about anything."

"There is nothing to make up my mind about."

"I think there is;--a great deal. Do you mean to take this man who is
dangling after you?"

"He isn't worth taking."

"Carruthers says that the property must come right, sooner or later.
You might do better, perhaps, but you won't trouble yourself. We
can't go on like this for ever, you know."

"If you hated it as much as I do, you wouldn't want to go on."

"Why don't you talk to him? I don't think he's at all a bad fellow."

"I've nothing to say."

"He'll offer to-morrow, if you'll accept him."

"Don't let him do that, Aunt Jane. I couldn't say Yes. As for loving
him;--oh, laws!"

"It won't do to go on like this, you know."

"I'm only eighteen;--and it's my money, aunt."

"And how long will it last? If you can't accept him, refuse him, and
let somebody else come."

"It seems to me," said Lucinda, "that one is as bad as another. I'd a
deal sooner marry a shoemaker and help him to make shoes."

"That's downright wickedness," said Mrs. Carbuncle. And