a great many more," said Mrs. Powle laughing. "I have merely
presented a statement. He had a great deal more to do than that."

The tissue paper rustled quietly for some time after this, and
Eleanor's pencil could be heard making quick marks. Neither lady
interrupted the other.

"Well, Eleanor,--how does it seem to you?" began the elder lady, in a
tone of quiet satisfaction.

"Inconvenient, mamma,--as I said."

"How?"

But Eleanor did not say how.

"Mr. Carlisle will be here for his answer this evening."

"I like him very well, mamma," said Eleanor, after another pause,--"but
I do not like him enough."

"Nonsense! You would like to be Lady Rythdale, wouldn't you?"

The silence which followed this was longer than that which had been
before. Knife and pencil pursued their work, but Mrs. Powle glancing up
furtively from her tissue paper saw that Eleanor's brow was knitted and
that her pencil was moving under the influence of something besides
Art. So she let her alone for a long time. And Eleanor's fancy saw a
vision of fairy beauty and baronial dignity before her. They lay in the
wide domains and stately appendages of Rythdale Priory. How could she
help seeing it? The vision floated before her with point after point of
entrancing loveliness, old history, present luxury, hereditary rank and
splendour, and modern power. It was like nothing in Eleanor's own home.
Her father, though a comfortable country gentleman, boasted nothing and
had nothing to boast in the way of ancestry, beyond a respectable
descent of several generations. His means, though ample enough for
comfort and reasonable indulgence, could make no pretensions to more.
And Ivy Lodge was indeed a pleasant home, and every field and hedgerow
belonging to it was lovely to Eleanor; but the broad manors of Rythdale
Priory for extent would swallow up many such, and for beauty and
dignity were as a damask rose to a bit of eglantine. Would Eleanor be
Lady Rythdale?

"He will be here this evening for his answer, Eleanor--" Mrs. Powle
remarked in a quiet voice the second time.

"Then you must give it to him, mamma."

"I shall do nothing of the kind. You must see him yourself. I will have
no such shifting of your work upon my shoulders."

"I do not wish to see him to-night, mamma."

"I choose that you should. Don't talk any nonsense to me, Eleanor."

"But, mamma, if I am to give the answer, I am not ready with any answer
to give."

"Tell Mr. Carlisle s