ally imagine for one moment that any man could be engaged to a
creature like that?"

"I don't imagine--I know! They have been engaged for years. It will be
years more before they are married, for old Mr Greaves won't give his
consent. And Rachel won't leave home without it; but Mr Dudley is
quite willing to wait. He says she is the best woman in the world."

"Oh, I daresay! She is frumpy enough for anything; and you call that an
engagement? My dear, he will no more marry her than he'll marry the
moon. It's just a stupid platonic friendship, and as he has not known
anything else he thinks it is love. Imagine being in love with that
solemn creature! Imagine making pretty speeches and listening to her
correct copy-book replies! Wait! I should think she may wait! She'll
have a surprise one of these days when he meets the right girl, and bids
Rachel Greaves a fond farewell!"

"He'll do nothing of the sort," I said hotly. "I do hate you, Vere,
when you sneer like that, and make out that everyone is worldly and
horrible, like yourself! Will Dudley is a good man, and he wants a good
woman for his wife--not a doll. He'd rather have Rachel's little finger
than a dozen empty-headed fashion-plates like the girls you admire. But
you don't understand. Your friends are all so different that you cannot
understand an honest man when you meet him."

"Can't I? What a pity! Don't get into a rage, dear, it's so
unnecessary. I'm sorry I'm so obtuse; but at least I can learn. I'll
make it my business to understand Mr Dudley thoroughly during the
autumn. It will be quite an occupation," replied Vere, with her head in
the air and her eyes glittering at me in a nasty, horrid, cold,
calculating "You-wait-and-see" kind of way which made me ill! It was
just like Tennyson's Lady Clara Vere de Vere, who "sought to break a
country heart for pastime ere she went to town," for Vere would never be
content to marry Will Dudley, even if she succeeded in winning him from
Rachel. Poor Rachel! I felt so sorry for her; she has so little, and
she's so sweet and content, and so innocent that a serpent has entered
into her Eden. It sounds rather horrid to call your own sister a
serpent, but circumstances alter cases, and it really is appropriate. I
think Vere expected me to fly into another rage, but I didn't feel angry
at all, only sorry and ashamed, and anxious to know what I could do to
baulk her dark designs.

"I'm thankful I'm