t for, when she is a little stronger."

Both Elsie and Jane saw at once that Mr. Brandon was disposed to take
Elsie's rejection as a final decision, and that he would have no
difficulty in transferring his attentions, if not his affections to
Miss Harriett Phillips. Elsie felt that she could not have been much
admired or loved, when he could so soon attach himself to a woman so
very different from herself. Here it certainly might be love without
any mixture of pity. He made himself very agreeable, and Miss Harriett
was not so much flattered as gratified. All his homage was received by
her as her due; there were no quick flushes of pleasure or surprise at
any little mark of kindness or attention; no disclaiming of any
compliment which was paid her as exaggerated or undeserved; the smile
of perfect self-complacency sat on her face, and gave ease to her every
action and every speech. She never hesitated in giving her opinion; she
never qualified or withdrew it when given. She knew herself to be
perfectly well-informed and perfectly well-bred. She felt herself to be
Mr. Brandon's superior in every point--in natural ability, in
education, in acquired manner, in social position, and, of course, in
moral character also, for she had no faith in the goodness of the other
sex. She saw many of their faults, and guessed at many more, and she
did not see or understand their virtues; and Brandon made no pretence
to being particularly good, and spoke slightingly of her favourite
clergyman, who was rather too High Church in his notions to please the
latitudinarian ideas of an Australian bushman. Her connection with the
county Stanleys gave her a prestige that Mr. Brandon never could have,
for his family were only middle-class people, not at all intellectual
or aristocratic. Her brother was astonished to see how much more
Georgiana and Harriett spoke of their relations by the mother's side,
who had never done anything for them, than those good uncles and aunts
Phillipses, who had invited them for the holidays, and given them toys
and books without number; but all his laughing at his sisters could not
alter their views, and his own wife sided with the ladies, and was very
proud of her husband's aristocratic name and relations, though she had
none of her own.

Though in all these respects Harriett Phillips was so much Mr.
Brandon's superior, she was disposed to accept of him when he asked
her, as he was sure to do. It was so difficult fo