ve it me."

"Of course not! only he does such absurd things! I thought,
perhaps--these boys are so exceedingly ridiculous! Mrs. Doria had an
idea that it might have been concerted between the two young gentlemen,
Richard and Ralph, that the former should present this token of hymeneal
devotion from the latter to the young lady of his love; but a moment's
reflection exonerated boys even from such preposterous behaviour.

"Now, I wonder," she speculated on Clare's cold face, "I do wonder
whether it's lucky to find a wedding-ring. What very quick eyes you
have, my darling!" Mrs. Doria kissed her. She thought it must be lucky,
and the circumstance made her feel tender to her child. Her child did
not move to the kiss.

"Let's see whether it fits," said Mrs. Doria, almost infantine with
surprise and pleasure.

Clare suffered her glove to be drawn off. The ring slid down her long
thin finger, and settled comfortably.

"It does!" Mrs. Doria whispered. To find a wedding ring is open to
any woman; but to find a wedding-ring that fits may well cause a
superstitious emotion. Moreover, that it should be found while walking
in the neighbourhood of the identical youth whom a mother has destined
for her daughter, gives significance to the gentle perturbation of ideas
consequent on such a hint from Fortune.

"It really fits!" she pursued. "Now I never pay any attention to the
nonsense of omens and that kind of thing" (had the ring been a horseshoe
Mrs. Doria would have pinked it up and dragged it obediently home), "but
this, I must say, is odd--to find a ring that fits!--singular! It never
happened to me. Sixpence is the most I ever discovered, and I have it
now. Mind you keep it, Clare--this ring: And," she laughed, "offer it to
Richard when he comes; say, you think he must have dropped it."

The dimple in Clare's cheek quivered.

Mother and daughter had never spoken explicitly of Richard. Mrs. Doria,
by exquisite management, had contrived to be sure that on one side there
would be no obstacle to her project of general happiness, without, as
she thought, compromising her daughter's feelings unnecessarily. It
could do no harm to an obedient young girl to hear that there was
no youth in the world like a certain youth. He the prince of his
generation, she might softly consent, when requested, to be his
princess; and if never requested (for Mrs. Doria envisaged failure), she
might easily transfer her softness to squires of lower d