urs devoted in company with Lady Albury to Ayala's
perfection and Ayala's obstinacy.

Lady Albury was almost inclined to think that Ayala should be given
up. Married ladies seldom estimate even the girls they like best at
their full value. It seems to such a one as Lady Albury almost a
pity that such a one as Colonel Stubbs should waste his energy upon
anything so insignificant as Ayala Dormer. The speciality of the
attraction is of course absent to the woman, and unless she has
considered the matter so far as to be able to clothe her thoughts in
male vestments, as some women do, she cannot understand the longing
that is felt for so small a treasure. Lady Albury thought that young
ladies were very well, and that Ayala was very well among young
ladies; but Ayala in getting Colonel Stubbs for a husband would, as
Lady Albury thought, have received so much more than her desert that
she was now almost inclined to be angry with the Colonel. "My dear
friend," he said to her one day, "you might as well take it for
granted. I shall go after my princess with all the energy which a
princess merits."

"The question is whether she be a princess," said Lady Albury.

"Allow me to say that that is a point on which I cannot admit a
doubt. She is a princess to me, and just at present I must be
regarded as the only judge in the matter."

"She shall be a goddess, if you please," said Lady Albury.

"Goddess, princess, pink, or pearl;--any name you please supposed to
convey perfection shall be the same to me. It may be that she is in
truth no better, or more lovely, or divine, than many another young
lady who is at the present moment exercising the heart of many
another gentleman. You know enough of the world to be aware that
every Jack has his Gill. She is my Gill, and that's an end of it."

"I hope then that she may be your Gill."

"And, in order that she may, you must have her here again. I should
absolutely not know how to go to work were I to find myself in the
presence of Aunt Dosett in Kingsbury Crescent." In answer to this
Lady Albury assured him that she would be quite willing to have the
girl again at Stalham if it could be managed. She was reminding him,
however, how difficult it had been on a previous occasion to overcome
the scruples of Mrs. Dosett, when a servant brought in word to
Colonel Stubbs that there was a man in the hall desirous of seeing
him immediately on particular business. Then the servant presented
our f