Scherman meant might be a line of Atlantic
steamers or the sea-serpent.

"Yes, ma'am. The emptying back and forth. There isn't much that is
foreign over there, now, nor very much that is native here. The
hemispheres have got miserably mixed up. I think when I go 'strange
countries for to see,' it will have to be Patagonia or Independent
Tartary."

Uncle Oldways turned round with his great chair, so as to face
Asenath, and laughed one of his thorough fun digesting laughs, his
keen eyes half shut with the enjoyment, and sparkling out through
their cracks at her.

But Asenath had resumed her photographs with the sweetest and
quietest unconsciousness.

Mrs. Ledwith let her alone after that; and the talk rambled on to
the schools in Munich, and the Miracle Plays at Oberammergau.

"To think of _that_ invasion!" said Asenath, in a low tone to
Desire, "and corrupting _that_ into a show, with a run of regular
performances! I do believe they have pulled down the last unprofaned
thing now, and trampled over it."

"If we go," said Mrs. Megilp, "we shall join the Fayerwerses, and
settle down with them quietly in some nice place; and then make
excursions. We shall not try to do all Europe in three months; we
shall choose, and take time. It is the only way really to enjoy or
acquire; and the quiet times are so invaluable for the lessons and
languages."

Mrs. Megilp made up her little varnishes with the genuine gums of
truth and wisdom; she put a beautiful shine even on to her limited
opportunities and her enforced frugalities.

"Mrs. Ledwith, you _ought_ to let Agatha and Florence go too. I
would take every care of them; and the expense would be so
divided--carriages, and couriers, and everything--that it would be
hardly anything."

"It is a great opportunity," Mrs. Ledwith said, and sighed. "But it
is different with us from what it is with you. We must still be a
family here, with nearly the same expenses. To be sure Desire has
done with school, and she doesn't care for gay society, and Helena
is a mere child yet; if it ever could"--

And so it went on between the ladies, while Mr. Oldways and Mr.
Ledwith and Frank Scherman got into war talk, and Bismarck policy,
and French poss--no, _im_-possibilities.

"I don't think Uncle Oldways minded much," said Mrs. Ledwith to
Agatha, and Mrs. Megilp, up-stairs, after everybody had gone who was
to go.

"He never minds anything," said Agatha.

"I don't know," said Mrs. Megil