ne it sooner if I had known that you wished it. I would never have
worn it at all if I had thought that you disliked it."

"I think that a little of them is very nice," said Mr. Gibson. Mr.
Gibson was certainly an awkward man. But there are men so awkward
that it seems to be their especial province to say always the very
worst thing at the very worst moment.

She became redder than ever as she was thus told of the hugeness of
her favourite ornament. She was almost angry now. But she restrained
herself, thinking perhaps of how she might teach him taste in days to
come as he was teaching her now. "I will change it to-morrow," she
said with a smile. "You come and see to-morrow."

Upon this he got up and took his hat and made his escape, assuring
her that he would come and see her on the morrow. She let him go now
without any attempt at further tenderness. Certainly she had gained
much during the interview. He had as good as told her in what had
been her offence, and of course, when she had remedied that offence,
he could hardly refuse to return to her. She got up as soon as she
was alone, and looked at her head in the glass, and told herself that
the pity would be great. It was not that the chignon was in itself
a thing of beauty, but that it imparted so unmistakable an air of
fashion! It divested her of that dowdiness which she feared above
all things, and enabled her to hold her own among other young women,
without feeling that she was absolutely destitute of attraction.
There had been a certain homage paid to it, which she had recognised
and enjoyed. But it was her ambition to hold her own, not among
young women, but among clergymen's wives, and she would certainly
obey his orders. She could not make the attempt now because of the
complications; but she certainly would make it before she laid her
head on the pillow,--and would explain to Camilla that it was a
little joke between herself and Mr. Gibson.

CHAPTER XLVIII.

MR. GIBSON IS PUNISHED.

Miss Stanbury was divine in her wrath, and became more and more so
daily as new testimony reached her of dishonesty on the part of
the Frenches and of treachery on the part of Mr. Gibson. And these
people, so empty, so vain, so weak, were getting the better of her,
were conquering her, were robbing her of her prestige and her ancient
glory, simply because she herself was too generous to speak out and
tell the truth! There was a martyrdom to her in this which was al