ust the brow for a coronet."

"Heavens and earth!" said Lady Rowley, throwing up her hands. "And
you believe that he will be proud of her in England?"

"I am sure he will."

"My belief is that he will leave her behind him, or that they
will settle somewhere in the wilds of America,--out in Mexico, or
Massachusetts, or the Rocky Mountains. I do not think that he will
have the courage to shew her in London."

The marriage was to take place in the Protestant church at Florence
early in June, and then the bride and bridegroom were to go over the
Alps, and to remain there subject to tidings as to the health of the
old man at Naples. Mr. Glascock had thrown up his seat in Parliament,
some month or two ago, knowing that he could not get back to his
duties during the present session, and feeling that he would shortly
be called upon to sit in the other House. He was thus free to use his
time and to fix his days as he pleased; and it was certainly clear to
those who knew him, that he was not ashamed of his American bride.
He spent much of his time at the Spaldings' house, and was always
to be seen with them in the Cascine and at the Opera. Mrs. Spalding,
the aunt, was, of course, in great glory. A triumphant, happy, or
even simply a splendid marriage, for the rising girl of a family is
a great glory to the maternal mind. Mrs. Spalding could not but be
aware that the very air around her seemed to breathe congratulations
into her ears. Her friends spoke to her, even on indifferent
subjects, as though everything was going well with her,--better with
her than with anybody else; and there came upon her in these days
a dangerous feeling, that in spite of all the preachings of the
preachers, the next world might perhaps be not so very much better
than this. She was, in fact, the reverse of the medal of which
poor Lady Rowley filled the obverse. And the American Minister was
certainly an inch taller than before, and made longer speeches, being
much more regardless of interruption. Olivia was delighted at her
sister's success, and heard with rapture the description of Monkhams,
which came to her second-hand through her sister. It was already
settled that she was to spend her next Christmas at Monkhams, and
perhaps there might be an idea in her mind that there were other
eldest sons of old lords who would like American brides. Everything
around Caroline Spalding was pleasant,--except the words of Wallachia
Petrie.

Everything around