, drive a tandem up to the door. This girl threw the reins to the
groom, and rushed to her friend.

'And how do you do, Alice, and how well you are looking, and how pleased
I am to see you. I would have come before, only my leader was coughing
and I couldn't take him out. Oh, I was so wild; it is always like that;
nothing is so disappointing as horses; whenever you especially require
them they are laid up, and you can't imagine the difficulty I had to get
him along; I must really get another leader; he was trying to turn round
the whole way--if it hadn't been for the whip. I took blood out of him
three times running. But I know you don't care anything about horses,
and I want to hear about this marriage. I am so glad, so pleased, but
tell me, do you like him? He seems a very nice sort of man, you know, a
man that would make a woman happy. . . . I am sure you will be happy with
him, but it is dreadful to think we are going to lose you. I shall, I
know, be running over to London on purpose to see you; but tell me, what
I want to know is, do you like him? Would you believe it, I never once
suspected there was anything between you?'

'Yes, my dear May,' Alice replied smiling, 'I do like Edward Reed; nor
do I think that I should ever like any other man half as much: I have
perfect confidence in him, and where there is not confidence there
cannot be love. He has bought a small practice in Notting Hill, which
with care and industry he hopes may be worked up into a substantial
business. We shall be very poor at first, but we shall be able to make
both ends meet.'

'I can see it all; a little suburban semi-detached house, with green
Venetian blinds, a small mahogany sideboard, and a clean capped
maid-servant; and in the drawing-room you won't have a piano--you don't
care for music, but you'll have some basket chairs, and small bookcases,
and a tea-table with tea-cakes at five--oh, won't you look quiet and
grave at that tea-table. But tell me, it is all over the county that
Mrs. Barton won't hear of this marriage, and that she won't allow your
father to go to the chapel to give you away. It is a shame, and for the
life of me I can't see what parents have to do with our marriages, do
you?'

Without waiting for an answer, May continued the conversation, and with
vehemence she passed from one subject to another utterly disconnected
without a transitional word of explanation. She explained how tiresome
it was to sit at home of an