ss Lady Kew must
have found her granddaughter, upon one of the few occasions after
the double mishap when Ethel and her elder were together. Sir Brian's
illness, as it may be imagined, affected a lady very slightly, who was
of an age when these calamities occasion but small disquiet, and who,
having survived her own father, her husband, her son, and witnessed
their lordships' respective demises with perfect composure, could not
reasonably be called upon to feel any particular dismay at the probable
departure from this life of a Lombard Street banker, who happened to be
her daughter's husband. In fact, not Barnes Newcome himself could await
that event more philosophically. So, finding Ethel in this melancholy
mood, Lady Kew thought a drive in the fresh air would be of service to
her, and Sir Brian happening to be asleep, carried the young girl away
in her barouche.

They talked about Lord Kew, of whom the accounts were encouraging, and
who is mending in spite of his silly mother and her medicines, "and as
soon as he is able to move we must go and fetch him, my dear," Lady Kew
graciously said, "before that foolish woman has made a methodist of him.
He is always led by the woman who is nearest him, and I know one who
will make of him just the best little husband in England." Before they
had come to this delicate point the lady and her grandchild had talked
Kew's character over, the girl, you may be sure, having spoken feelingly
and eloquently about his kindness and courage, and many admirable
qualities. She kindled when she heard the report of his behaviour at
the commencement of the fracas with M. de Castillonnes, his great
forbearance and good-nature, and his resolution and magnanimity when the
moment of collision came.

But when Lady Kew arrived at that period of her discourse in which she
stated that Kew would make the best little husband in England, poor
Ethel's eyes filled with tears; we must remember that her high spirit
was worn down by watching and much varied anxiety, and then she
confessed that there had been no reconciliation, as all the family
fancied, between Frank and herself--on the contrary, a parting, which
she understood to be final; and she owned that her conduct towards her
cousin had been most captious and cruel, and that she could not expect
they should ever again come together. Lady Kew, who hated sick-beds and
surgeons except for herself, who hated her daughter-in-law above all,
was greatly annoy