t," said Mrs.
Roby, smiling. "I don't think, my husband will do Mr. Lopez any harm;
and I am sure Mr. Lopez won't do my husband any."

"I dare say not. But that's not the question. Roby can take care of
himself."

"Quite so."

"And so I dare say can Mr. Lopez." At this moment Emily entered the
room. "My dear," said her father, "I am speaking to your aunt. Would
you mind going downstairs and waiting for us? Tell them we shall be
ready for dinner in ten minutes." Then Emily passed out of the room,
and Mrs. Roby assumed a grave demeanour. "The man we are speaking
of has been to me and has made an offer for Emily." As he said this
he looked anxiously into his sister-in-law's face, in order that
he might tell from that how far she favoured the idea of such a
marriage,--and he thought that he perceived at once that she was
not averse to it. "You know it is quite out of the question," he
continued.

"I don't know why it should be out of the question. But of course
your opinion would have great weight with Emily."

"Great weight! Well;--I should hope so. If not, I do not know
whose opinion is to have weight. In the first place the man is a
foreigner."

"Oh, no;--he is English. But if he were a foreigner: many English
girls marry foreigners."

"My daughter shall not;--not with my permission. You have not
encouraged him, I hope."

"I have not interfered at all," said Mrs. Roby. But this was a lie.
Mrs. Roby had interfered. Mrs. Roby, in discussing the merits and
character of the lover with the young lady, had always lent herself
to the lover's aid,--and had condescended to accept from the lover
various presents which she could hardly have taken had she been
hostile to him.

"And now tell me about herself. Has she seen him often?"

"Why, Mr. Wharton, he has dined here, in the house, over and over
again. I thought that you were encouraging him."

"Heavens and earth!"

"Of course she has seen him. When a man dines at a house he is bound
to call. Of course he has called,--I don't know how often. And she
has met him round the corner."--"Round the corner," in Manchester
Square, meant Mrs. Roby's house in Berkeley Street.--"Last Sunday
they were at the Zoo together. Dick got them tickets. I thought you
knew all about it."

"Do you mean that my daughter went to the Zoological Gardens alone
with this man?" the father asked in dismay.

"Dick was with them. I should have gone, only I had a headache. Did
you not know sh