Does not the world worship them, and persecute those who refuse
to kneel? Do not many timid souls sacrifice to them; and other bolder
spirits rebel and, with rage at their hearts, bend down their stubborn
knees at their altars? See! I began by siding with Mrs. Grundy and the
world, and at the next turn of the see-saw have lighted down on Ethel's
side, and am disposed to think that the very best part of her conduct
has been those escapades which--which right-minded persons most justly
condemn. At least, that a young beauty should torture a man with
alternate liking and indifference; allure, dismiss, and call him back
out of banishment; practise arts to please upon him, and ignore them
when rebuked for her coquetry--these are surely occurrences so common in
young women's history as to call for no special censure; and if on these
charges Miss Newcome is guilty, is she, of all her sex, alone in her
criminality?

So Ethel and her duenna went away upon their tour of visits to mansions
so splendid, and among hosts and guests so polite, that the present
modest historian does not dare to follow them. Suffice it to say that
Duke This and Earl That were, according to their hospitable custom,
entertaining a brilliant circle of friends at their respective castles,
all whose names the Morning Post gave; and among them those of the
Dowager Countess of Kew and Miss Newcome.

During her absence, Thomas Newcome grimly awaited the result of his
application to Barnes. That Baronet showed his uncle a letter, or rather
a postscript, from Lady Kew, which probably had been dictated by Barnes
himself, in which the Dowager said she was greatly touched by Colonel
Newcome's noble offer; that though she owned she had very different
views for her granddaughter, Miss Newcome's choice of course lay with
herself. Meanwhile, Lady K. and Ethel were engaged in a round of visits
to the country, and there would be plenty of time to resume this subject
when they came to London for the season. And, lest dear Ethel's feelings
should be needlessly agitated by a discussion of the subject, and the
Colonel should take a fancy to write to her privately, Lady Kew gave
orders that all letters from London should be despatched under cover to
her ladyship, and carefully examined the contents of the packet before
Ethel received her share of the correspondence.

To write to her personally on the subject of the marriage, Thomas
Newcome had determined was not a proper cou