you had any
objection to the meeting's being put off from one o'clock till two,"
cried he, after nodding to Mr. Carlyle. "He has got a friend coming to
see him unexpectedly who will leave again by the two o'clock train."

"I don't care which it is," answered Mr. Hare. "Two o'clock will do as
well as one, for me."

"That's all right, then; and I'll drop in upon Herbert and Pinner and
acquaint them."

Miss Carlyle's cold was better that evening, in fact she seemed quite
herself again, and Mr. Carlyle introduced the subject of his marriage.
It was after dinner that he began upon it.

"Cornelia, when I married Lady Isabel Vane, you reproached me severely
with having kept you in the dark--"

"If you had not kept me in the dark, but consulted me, as any other
Christian would, the course of events would have been wholly changed,
and the wretchedness and disgrace that fell on this house been spared to
it," fiercely interrupted Miss Carlyle.

"We will leave the past," he said, "and consider the future. I was about
to remark, that I do not intend to fall under your displeasure again for
the like offense. I believe you have never wholly forgiven it."

"And never shall," cried she, impetuously. "I did not deserve the
slight."

"Therefore, almost as soon as I know it myself, I acquaint you. I am
about to marry a second time, Cornelia."

Miss Carlyle started up. Her spectacles dropped off her nose, and a
knitting-box which she happened to have on her knees, clattered to the
floor.

"What did you say?" she uttered, aghast.

"I'm about to marry."

"You!"

"I. Is there anything so very astonishing in it?"

"For the love of common sense, don't go and make such a fool of
yourself. You have done it once; was not that enough for you, but you
must run your head into the noose again?"

"Now, Cornelia, can you wonder that I do not speak of things when you
meet them in this way? You treat me just as you did when I was a child.
It is very foolish."

"When folk act childishly, they must be treated as children. I always
thought you were mad when you married before, but I shall think you
doubly mad now."

"Because you have preferred to remain single and solitary yourself, is
it any reason why you should condemn me to do the same? You are happy
alone; I should be happier with a wife.

"That she may go and disgrace you, as the last one did!" intemperately
spoke Miss Carlyle, caring not a rush what she said in her storm of
an