erson not easily
suppressed, nor at all indisposed to assume airs of perfect equality,
even with those separated from her by a whole hemisphere of station.
Give me your candid advice on this point, not thinking of _them_, but
of _me_, for though I feel Julia--is not that her name?--would be
insupportable, the parson himself would be very useful, and I think a
comfort to me.

"Of course you will not consult any one upon this matter. It is your
own personal opinion I want, and you will give it to me, knowing me and
my prejudices,--I suppose I had better call them,--and not thinking of
your own leanings and likings for the girl. She may, for aught I know,
have changed. Culduff has some wise saw about acid wines growing dry by
age; I don't know whether young ladies mellow in this fashion, but Julia
was certainly tart enough once to have tested the theory, and might be
the 'Amontillado' of old maids by this time."

It may be imagined that after a sally of this kind it was not easy for
the writer to recover that semi-moralizing vein in which the letter
opened. Nor did she. The conclusion was abrupt, and merely directed
Nelly to address her next to the Summer Palace at Therapia; "for those
horrid people, our predecessors, have left the embassy house in such
a condition it will take weeks and several thousand pounds to make it
habitable. There must be a vote taken 'in supply' on this. I am writing
Greek to you, poor child; but I mean they must give us money, and, of
course, the discussion will expose us to many impertinences. One writer
declared that he never knew of a debate on the estimates without an
allusion to Lord Culduff's wig. We shall endure this--if not with
patience, without resentment. Love to dear Gusty, and believe me your
affectionate sister,

"Marion Culduff."

Such were the most striking passages of a long letter which, fortunately
for Nelly, Mr. Cutbill's presence at the breakfast-table rescued her
from the indiscretion of reading aloud. One or two extracts she did
give, but soon saw that the document was one which could not be laid
on the table, nor given without prejudice to the public service. Her
confusion, as she crumpled up the paper, and thrust it back into its
envelope, was quickly remarked, and Mr. Cutbill, with his accustomed
tact, observed, "I'd lay a 'fiver' we 've all of us been led out for a
canter in that epistle. It 's enough to see Miss Ellen's face to know
that she wouldn't read it out f