ween them but weeping for their
father. Now had come the hour of parting.

The tidings had been communicated to Lucy, and to Lucy alone, by Aunt
Tringle,--"As you are the eldest, dear, we think that you will be
best able to be a comfort to your aunt," said Lady Tringle.

"I will do the best I can, Aunt Emmeline," said Lucy, declaring to
herself that, in giving such a reason, her aunt was lying basely.

"I am sure you will. Poor dear Ayala is younger than her cousins, and
will be more subject to them." So in truth was Lucy younger than her
cousins, but of that she said nothing. "I am sure you will agree with
me that it is best that we should have the youngest."

"Perhaps it is, Aunt Emmeline."

"Sir Thomas would not have had it any other way," said Lady Tringle,
with a little severity, feeling that Lucy's accord had hardly been
as generous as it should be. But she recovered herself quickly,
remembering how much it was that Ayala was to get, how much that Lucy
was to lose. "But, my dear, we shall see you very often, you know.
It is not so far across the park; and when we do have a few parties
again--"

"Oh, aunt, I am not thinking of that."

"Of course not. We can none of us think of it just now. But when
the time does come of course we shall always have you, just as if
you were one of us." Then her aunt gave her a roll of bank-notes, a
little present of twenty-five pounds, to begin the world with, and
told her that the carriage should take her to Kingsbury Crescent
on the following morning. On the whole Lucy behaved well and left
a pleasant impression on her aunt's mind. The difference between
Queen's Gate and Kingsbury Crescent,--between Queen's Gate and
Kingsbury Crescent for life,--was indeed great!

"I wish it were you, with all my heart," said Ayala, clinging to her
sister.

"It could not have been me."

"Why not!"

"Because you are so pretty and you are so clever."

"No!"

"Yes! If we were to be separated of course it would be so. Do not
suppose, dear, that I am disappointed."

"I am."

"If I can only like Aunt Margaret,"--Aunt Margaret was Mrs. Dosett,
with whom neither of the girls had hitherto become intimate, and who
was known to be quiet, domestic, and economical, but who had also
been spoken of as having a will of her own,--"I shall do better with
her than you would, Ayala."

"I don't see why."

"Because I can remain quiet longer than you. It will be very quiet.
I wonder how we shall