lovingly of death,
they frequently swooned. Georgiana was the most ethereal of all; of the
three she ate least, swooned most often, talked most of death, and was
the palest--with a pallor that was so startling as to appear positively
artificial. At any moment, it seemed, she might loose her precarious
hold on this material world and become all spirit. To George the thought
was a continual agony. If she were to die...

"She contrived, however, to live through the season, and that in spite
of the numerous balls, routs, and other parties of pleasure which, in
company with the rest of the lovely trio, she never failed to attend. In
the middle of July the whole household moved down to the country. George
was invited to spend the month of August at Crome.

"The house-party was distinguished; in the list of visitors figured
the names of two marriageable young men of title. George had hoped that
country air, repose, and natural surroundings might have restored to
the three sisters their appetites and the roses of their cheeks. He was
mistaken. For dinner, the first evening, Georgiana ate only an olive,
two or three salted almonds, and half a peach. She was as pale as ever.
During the meal she spoke of love.

"'True love,' she said, 'being infinite and eternal, can only be
consummated in eternity. Indiana and Sir Rodolphe celebrated the mystic
wedding of their souls by jumping into Niagara. Love is incompatible
with life. The wish of two people who truly love one another is not to
live together but to die together.'

"'Come, come, my dear,' said Lady Lapith, stout and practical. 'What
would become of the next generation, pray, if all the world acted on
your principles?'

"'Mamma!...' Georgiana protested, and dropped her eyes.

"'In my young days,' Lady Lapith went on, 'I should have been laughed
out of countenance if I'd said a thing like that. But then in my young
days souls weren't as fashionable as they are now and we didn't think
death was at all poetical. It was just unpleasant.'

"'Mamma!...' Emmeline and Caroline implored in unison.

"'In my young days--' Lady Lapith was launched into her subject;
nothing, it seemed, could stop her now. 'In my young days, if you didn't
eat, people told you you needed a dose of rhubarb. Nowadays...'

"There was a cry; Georgiana had swooned sideways on to Lord Timpany's
shoulder. It was a desperate expedient; but it was successful. Lady
Lapith was stopped.

"The days passed in