Burgess?" said Mrs. French.

"Only this, that as we all like Mr. Burgess, and as he is almost one
of the family in the Close, I think he ought to know why we are not
quite so cordial as we used to be. Now that the matter is over I have
no doubt things will get right again. And as for the young lady, I'm
sure we feel for her. We think it was the aunt who was indiscreet."

"And then she has such a tongue," said Arabella.

Our friend Brooke, of course, knew the whole truth;--knew the nature
of Mr. Gibson's failure, and knew also how Dorothy had acted in the
affair. He was inclined, moreover, to believe that the ladies who
were now talking to him were as well instructed on the subject as
was he himself. He had heard, too, of the ambition of the two young
ladies now before him, and believed that that ambition was not yet
dead. But he did not think it incumbent on him to fight a battle even
on behalf of Dorothy. He might have declared that Dorothy, at least,
had not been disappointed, but he thought it better to be silent
about Dorothy. "Yes," he said, "Miss Stanbury has a tongue; but I
think it speaks as much good as it does evil, and perhaps that is a
great deal to say for any lady's tongue."

"We never speak evil of anybody," said Camilla; "never. It is a rule
with us." Then Brooke took his leave, and the three ladies were
cordial and almost affectionate in their farewell greetings.

Brooke was to start on the following morning before anybody would
be up except Martha, and Miss Stanbury was very melancholy during
the evening. "We shall miss him very much; shall we not?" she said,
appealing to Dorothy. "I am sure you will miss him very much," said
Dorothy. "We are so stupid here alone," said Miss Stanbury. When they
had drank their tea, she sat nearly silent for half an hour, and then
summoned him up into her own room. "So you are going, Brooke?" she
said.

"Yes; I must go now. They would dismiss me if I stayed an hour
longer."

"It was good of you to come to the old woman; and you must let me
hear of you from time to time."

"Of course I'll write."

"And, Brooke,--"

"What is it, Aunt Stanbury?"

"Do you want any money, Brooke?"

"No;--none, thank you. I've plenty for a bachelor."

"When you think of marrying, Brooke, mind you tell me."

"I'll be sure to tell you;--but I can't promise yet when that will
be." She said nothing more to him, though she paused once more as
though she were going to speak. She