to the character of Miss
Stanbury. He got very little from Mrs. MacHugh. That lady was kind
and cordial, and expressed many wishes that she might see him again
in Exeter. When he said a few words about Mr. Gibson, Mrs. MacHugh
only laughed, and declared that the gentleman would soon find a
plaister for that sore. "There are more fishes than one in the sea,"
she said.

"But I'm afraid they've quarrelled, Mrs. MacHugh."

"So they tell me. What should we have to talk about here if somebody
didn't quarrel sometimes? She and I ought to get up a quarrel for the
good of the public;--only they know that I never can quarrel with
anybody. I never see anybody interesting enough to quarrel with." But
Mrs. MacHugh said nothing about Miss Stanbury, except that she sent
over a message with reference to a rubber of whist for the next night
but one.

He found the two French girls sitting with their mother, and they all
expressed their great gratitude to him for coming to say good-bye
before he went. "It's so very nice of you, Mr. Burgess," said
Camilla, "and particularly just at present."

"Yes, indeed," said Arabella, "because you know things have been so
unpleasant."

"My dears, never mind about that," said Mrs. French. "Miss Stanbury
has meant everything for the best, and it is all over now."

"I don't know what you mean by its being all over, mamma," said
Camilla. "As far as I can understand, it has never been begun."

"My dear, the least said the soonest mended," said Mrs. French.

"That's of course, mamma," said Camilla; "but yet one can't hold
one's tongue altogether. All the city is talking about it, and I dare
say Mr. Burgess has heard as much as anybody else."

"I've heard nothing at all," said Brooke.

"Oh yes, you have," continued Camilla. Arabella conceived herself
at this moment to be situated in so delicate a position, that it
was best that her sister should talk about it, and that she herself
should hold her tongue,--with the exception, perhaps, of a hint here
and there which might be of assistance; for Arabella completely
understood that the prize was now to be hers, if the prize could be
rescued out of the Stanbury clutches. She was aware,--no one better
aware,--how her sister had interfered with her early hopes, and was
sure, in her own mind, that all her disappointment had come from
fratricidal rivalry on the part of Camilla. It had never, however,
been open to her to quarrel with Camilla. There they we