for us, or that we
have no hearts left?" asks mamma, very tartly. "I believe, or I may
say, I hope and trust, your father thinks otherwise. He is, I imagine,
perfectly satisfied, miss. He does not sneer at age, whatever little
girls out of the schoolroom may do. And they had much better be back
there, and they had much better remember what the fifth commandment
is--that they had, Hetty!"

"I didn't think I was breaking it by saying that an actress was as old
as George's mother," pleaded Hetty.

"George's mother is as old as I am, miss!--at least she was when we were
at school. And Fanny Parker--Mrs. Mountain who now is--was seven months
older, and we were in the French class together; and I have no idea
that our age is to be made the subject of remarks and ridicule by
our children, and I will thank you to spare it, if you please! Do you
consider your mother too old, George?"

"I am glad my mother is of your age, Aunt Lambert," says George, in the
most sentimental manner.

Strange infatuation of passion--singular perversity of reason! At some
period before his marriage, it not unfrequently happens that a man
actually is fond of his mother-in-law! At this time our good General
vowed, and with some reason, that he was jealous. Mrs. Lambert made much
more of George than of any other person in the family. She dressed up
Theo to the utmost advantage in order to meet him; she was for ever
caressing her, and appealing to her when he spoke. It was, "Don't
you think he looks well?"--"Don't you think he looks pale, Theo,
to-day?"--"Don't you think he has been sitting up over his books too
much at night?" and so forth. If he had a cold, she would have liked to
make gruel for him and see his feet in hot water. She sent him recipes
of her own for his health. When he was away, she never ceased talking
about him to her daughter. I dare say Miss Theo liked the subject well
enough. When he came, she was sure to be wanted in some other part of
the house, and would bid Theo take care of him till she returned. Why,
before she returned to the room, could you hear her talking outside the
door to her youngest innocent children, to her servants in the upper
regions, and so forth? When she reappeared, was not Mr. George always
standing or sitting at a considerable distance from Miss Theo--except,
to be sure, on that one day when she had just happened to drop her
scissors, and he had naturally stooped down to pick them up? Why was she
blush