d have been made; but you would never consent to go with us to
Australia, and leave Alice to work here by herself; so, if she sees
anything, either in Melbourne or in the bush that will suit her better,
she is quite free to accept of it, and to leave Mrs. Phillips. Her
services and your services to our children in this recent affliction
can never be forgotten by us. I can assure you, Mrs. Phillips feels
deeply indebted to both of you."

The party to Australia was increased from an unexpected quarter.
Harriett Phillips had found that she had made no impression whatever on
Mr. Hogarth. He had paid his visit to her father, but had taken almost
no notice of her, who had been the person who invited him: in fact, he
had markedly preferred her elder sister. His head had apparently been
so full of politics, or something else, that he had not been half so
agreeable as when she had met him in London, so that she was now very
sorry that she had treated Mr. Brandon so cruelly during the last days
of his stay in England. He certainly would have proposed if she had not
discouraged him so much; it was really almost wrong in her to try to
make him jealous, and she had succeeded only too well. After having
entertained the idea that she could be married to him if she pleased
for several months, she missed the pleasing excitement of a lover when
she returned to her flat country life.

Now that her brother had actually made up his mind to leave England,
she would also miss the change and the gaiety of a London winter, which
she reckoned on having every year; so she astonished him by saying that
she should like of all things to accompany them to Melbourne, and to
see a little of bush life at that dear Wiriwilta that Emily was always
talking about. She did not think that she would care to stay long, but
for a year or two she really thought the life would be very pleasant
for a change, just to see how things were done in these outlandish
uncivilized places. She said, too, to her brother, that she thought she
could be of service to Mrs. Phillips and the children. The society of
Victoria was so indifferent, that it would be desirable to form a
pleasant little coterie of one's own. The children's music should
really be kept up; and she would be most happy to give them lessons. If
her papa and Georgiana and Vivian could only spare her for a year or
two, she should really like extremely to go. She would feel it so sad
when Stanley left for an ind