nt further than he ought, if he
was thinking of another; and, but for his conduct since, I should have
quite concluded, from some observations that I made, that he was
attached to Margaret."

"And she--?"

"And she certainly likes him very well; but I can hardly fancy her
happiness at stake. I have thought her spirit rather flat of late."

Hope sighed deeply.

"Ah! you may well sigh," said Hester, sighing herself, and sinking back
in her chair. "You know what I am going to say. I thought I might be
the cause of her being less gay than she should be. I have disappointed
her expectations, I know. But let us talk only of her."

"Yes: let us talk only of her, till we have settled what is our duty to
her. Ought we to tell her of this or not?"

Both considered long. At length Hester said--

"I think she ought to hear it quietly at home first (whether it be true
or not), to prepare her for anything that may be reported abroad.
Perhaps, if you were to drop, as we sit together here, what Mrs Enderby
said--"

"No, no; not I," said Hope, quickly. He went on more calmly: "Her
sister and bosom friend is the only person to do this--if, indeed, it
ought to be done. But the news may be untrue; and then she need perhaps
never hear it. Do not let us be in a hurry."

Hester thought that if Margaret felt nothing more than friendship for
Enderby, she would still consider herself ill-used; for the friendship
had been so close an one that she might reasonably expect that she
should not be left to learn such an event as this from common report.
But was it certain, Hope asked, that she had anything new to learn? Was
it certain that she was not in his confidence all this time--that she
had not known ten times as much as Mrs Rowland from the beginning?
Certainly not from the beginning, Hester said; and she had a strong
persuasion that Margaret was as ignorant as themselves of Enderby's
present proceedings and intentions.

At this moment, a note was brought in. It was from Mrs Enderby to Mr
Hope, written hurriedly, and blistered with tears. It told that she had
been extremely wrong in mentioning to him prematurely what was uppermost
in her mind about a certain family affair, and begged the great favour
of him to keep to himself what she had divulged, and, if possible, to
forget it. Once more, Mr Hope unconsciously sighed. It was at the
idea that he could forget such a piece of intelligence.

"Poor old lady!" said Heste