e is handsome certainly, but oh, is it possible he is--he is stupid?"
When she lighted the lamp and looked at him, did Psyche find Cupid out;
and is that the meaning of the old allegory? The wings of love drop
off at this discovery. The fancy can no more soar and disport in skyey
regions, the beloved object ceases at once to be celestial, and remains
plodding on earth, entirely unromantic and substantial.

CHAPTER XXIII. Holidays

Mrs. Lambert's little day-dream was over. Miss Theo and her mother were
obliged to confess in their hearts that their hero was but an ordinary
mortal. They uttered few words on the subject, but each knew the other's
thoughts as people who love each other do; and mamma, by an extra
tenderness and special caressing manner towards her daughter, sought to
console her for her disappointment. "Never mind, my dear"--the maternal
kiss whispered on the filial cheek--"our hero has turned out to be but
an ordinary mortal, and none such is good enough for my Theo. Thou shalt
have a real husband ere long, if there be one in England. Why, I was
scarce fifteen when your father saw me at the Bury Assembly, and while I
was yet at school, I used to vow that I never would have any other
man. If Heaven gave me such a husband--the best man in the whole
kingdom--sure it will bless my child equally, who deserves a king if she
fancies him!" Indeed, I am not sure that Mrs. Lambert--who, of course,
knew the age of the Prince of Wales, and was aware how handsome and good
a young prince he was--did not expect that he too would come riding by
her gate, and perhaps tumble down from his horse there, and be taken
into the house, and be cured, and cause his royal grandpapa to give
Martin Lambert a regiment, and fall in love with Theo.

The Colonel for his part, and his second daughter, Miss Hetty, were on
the laughing, scornful, unbelieving side. Mamma was always match-making.
Indeed, Mrs. Lambert was much addicted to novels, and cried her eyes out
over them with great assiduity. No coach ever passed the gate, but she
expected a husband for her girls would alight from it and ring the bell.
As for Miss Hetty, she allowed her tongue to wag in a more than
usually saucy way: she made a hundred sly allusions to their guest. She
introduced Prussia and Persia into their conversation with abominable
pertness and frequency. She asked whether the present King of Prussia
was called the Shaw or the Sophy, and how far it was from