been the fault of Camilla. Camilla had
been ready, and when, about the middle of the month, it was hinted
to her that some postponement was necessary, she spoke her mind out
plainly, and declared that she was not going to stand that kind of
thing. The communication had not been made to her by Mr. Gibson in
person. For some days previously he had not been seen at Heavitree,
and Camilla had from day to day become more black, gloomy, and harsh
in her manners both to her mother and her sister. Little notes had
come and little notes had gone, but no one in the house, except
Camilla herself, knew what those notes contained. She would not
condescend to complain to Arabella; nor did she say much in
condemnation of her lover to Mrs. French, till the blow came. With
unremitting attention she pursued the great business of her wedding
garments, and exacted from the unfortunate Arabella an amount of work
equal to her own,--of thankless work, as is the custom of embryo
brides with their unmarried sisters. And she drew with great audacity
on the somewhat slender means of the family for the amount of
feminine gear necessary to enable her to go into Mr. Gibson's house
with something of the eclat of a well-provided bride. When Mrs.
French hesitated, and then expostulated, Camilla replied that she did
not expect to be married above once, and that in no cheaper or more
productive way than this could her mother allow her to consume her
share of the family resources. "What matter, mamma, if you do have to
borrow a little money? Mr. Burgess will let you have it when he knows
why. And as I shan't be eating and drinking at home any more, nor yet
getting my things here, I have a right to expect it." And she ended
by expressing an opinion, in Arabella's hearing, that any daughter
of a house who proves herself to be capable of getting a husband for
herself, is entitled to expect that those left at home shall pinch
themselves for a time, in order that she may go forth to the world in
a respectable way, and be a credit to the family.

Then came the blow. Mr. Gibson had not been at the house for some
days, but the notes had been going and coming. At last Mr. Gibson
came himself; but, as it happened, when he came, Camilla was out
shopping. In these days she often did go out shopping between eleven
and one, carrying her sister with her. It must have been but a poor
pleasure for Arabella, this witnessing the purchases made, seeing
the pleasant draperie