which had become complicated by the increasing years
of each. Their wills were somewhat enfeebled now, their hearts sickened
of tender enterprise by hope too long deferred. Having postponed the
consideration of their course till a year after the interment of
Bellston, each seemed less disposed than formerly to take it up again.

'Is it worth while, after so many years?' she said to him. 'We are
fairly happy as we are--perhaps happier than we should be in any other
relation, seeing what old people we have grown. The weight is gone from
our lives; the shadow no longer divides us: then let us be joyful
together as we are, dearest Nic, in the days of our vanity; and

With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come.'

He fell in with these views of hers to some extent. But occasionally he
ventured to urge her to reconsider the case, though he spoke not with the
fervour of his earlier years.

Autumn, 1887.

ALICIA'S DIARY

CHAPTER I.--SHE MISSES HER SISTER

July 7.--I wander about the house in a mood of unutterable sadness, for
my dear sister Caroline has left home to-day with my mother, and I shall
not see them again for several weeks. They have accepted a long-standing
invitation to visit some old friends of ours, the Marlets, who live at
Versailles for cheapness--my mother thinking that it will be for the good
of Caroline to see a little of France and Paris. But I don't quite like
her going. I fear she may lose some of that childlike simplicity and
gentleness which so characterize her, and have been nourished by the
seclusion of our life here. Her solicitude about her pony before
starting was quite touching, and she made me promise to visit it daily,
and see that it came to no harm.

Caroline gone abroad, and I left here! It is the reverse of an ordinary
situation, for good or ill-luck has mostly ordained that I should be the
absent one. Mother will be quite tired out by the young enthusiasm of
Caroline. She will demand to be taken everywhere--to Paris continually,
of course; to all the stock shrines of history's devotees; to palaces and
prisons; to kings' tombs and queens' tombs; to cemeteries and picture-
galleries, and royal hunting forests. My poor mother, having gone over
most of this ground many times before, will perhaps not find the
perambulation so exhilarating as will Caroline herself. I wish I could
have gone with them. I would not have minded having my legs walked off
to pleas