to be given knitting-needles too.

"It's so very pleasant," said Lady Otway, "to knit while one's talking.
And now, my dear Katharine, tell me about your plans."

The emotions of the night before, which she had suppressed in such a way
as to keep her awake till dawn, had left Katharine a little jaded, and
thus more matter-of-fact than usual. She was quite ready to discuss her
plans--houses and rents, servants and economy--without feeling that they
concerned her very much. As she spoke, knitting methodically meanwhile,
Lady Otway noted, with approval, the upright, responsible bearing of her
niece, to whom the prospect of marriage had brought some gravity most
becoming in a bride, and yet, in these days, most rare. Yes, Katharine's
engagement had changed her a little.

"What a perfect daughter, or daughter-in-law!" she thought to herself,
and could not help contrasting her with Cassandra, surrounded by
innumerable silkworms in her bedroom.

"Yes," she continued, glancing at Katharine, with the round, greenish
eyes which were as inexpressive as moist marbles, "Katharine is like the
girls of my youth. We took the serious things of life seriously."
But just as she was deriving satisfaction from this thought, and was
producing some of the hoarded wisdom which none of her own daughters,
alas! seemed now to need, the door opened, and Mrs. Hilbery came in,
or rather, did not come in, but stood in the doorway and smiled, having
evidently mistaken the room.

"I never SHALL know my way about this house!" she exclaimed. "I'm on
my way to the library, and I don't want to interrupt. You and Katharine
were having a little chat?"

The presence of her sister-in-law made Lady Otway slightly uneasy. How
could she go on with what she was saying in Maggie's presence? for she
was saying something that she had never said, all these years, to Maggie
herself.

"I was telling Katharine a few little commonplaces about marriage," she
said, with a little laugh. "Are none of my children looking after you,
Maggie?"

"Marriage," said Mrs. Hilbery, coming into the room, and nodding her
head once or twice, "I always say marriage is a school. And you don't
get the prizes unless you go to school. Charlotte has won all the
prizes," she added, giving her sister-in-law a little pat, which
made Lady Otway more uncomfortable still. She half laughed, muttered
something, and ended on a sigh.

"Aunt Charlotte was saying that it's no good being married