'_C'est le genie du Catholicisme de nous debarrasser des filles
laides._'

And upon this expression of goodwill towards the Church of Rome
Cecilia's future life was discussed with much amiability. Mrs. Barton
said she would make a sweet little nun; Olive declared that she would
certainly go to St. Leonard's to see her 'professed'; and Milord's
description of Lady Sarah's and Lady Jane's ill-humour was considered
very amusing, and just as he was about to recount some new incident--one
that had escaped his memory till then--the door opened and the servant
announced Dr. Reed.

'Now, what can he want? Olive is quite well. He looks at her tongue and
feels her pulse. How do you do, Dr. Reed? Here is your patient, whom you
will find in the best health and spirits.'

As he was about to reply, Alice came into the room, and she tried to
carry on the conversation naturally. But the silence of Mrs. Barton and
Milord made this difficult; Dr. Reed was not a ready talker, and this
morning his replies were more than ever awkward and constrained. At last
it dawned on Alice that he wanted to speak to her alone; and in answer
to a remark he had made concerning the fever dens in Gort she said:

'I wanted to ask you a question or two about typhoid fever, Dr. Reed;
one of my heroines is going to die of it, and I should like to avoid
medical impossibilities. May I show you the passage?'

'Certainly, Miss Barton; I shall be delighted to help you--if I can.'

As soon as Alice left the room to fetch her manuscript the doctor
hurriedly bade his patient, Milord, and Mrs. Barton, good-bye.

'Aren't you going to wait to see Alice?' Mrs. Barton asked.

'I have to speak to the boy in charge of my car; I shall see Miss Barton
as she comes downstairs.'

Mrs. Barton looked as if she thought this arrangement not a little
singular, but she said nothing; and when Alice came running downstairs
with a roll of MSS. in her hand, she attempted to explain her difficulty
to the doctor. He made a feeble attempt to listen to the passage she
read aloud to him; and when their eyes met across the paper she saw he
was going to propose to her.

'Will you walk down the drive with me? and we will talk of that as we go
along.'

Her hat was on the hall-table; she took it up, and in silence walked
with him out on the gravel.

'Will I put the harse up, sor?' cried the boy from the outside car.

'No; follow me down the avenue.'

It was a wild autumn evening, f