s now Priscilla's
boudoir,' Mr. Wimbush remarked parenthetically--stood a small circular
table of mahogany. Crystal, porcelain, and silver,--all the shining
apparatus of an elegant meal--were mirrored in its polished depths. The
carcase of a cold chicken, a bowl of fruit, a great ham, deeply gashed
to its heart of tenderest white and pink, the brown cannon ball of
a cold plum-pudding, a slender Hock bottle, and a decanter of claret
jostled one another for a place on this festive board. And round the
table sat the three sisters, the three lovely Lapiths--eating!

"At George's sudden entrance they had all looked towards the door, and
now they sat, petrified by the same astonishment which kept George fixed
and staring. Georgiana, who sat immediately facing the door, gazed at
him with dark, enormous eyes. Between the thumb and forefinger of her
right hand she was holding a drumstick of the dismembered chicken; her
little finger, elegantly crooked, stood apart from the rest of her hand.
Her mouth was open, but the drumstick had never reached its destination;
it remained, suspended, frozen, in mid-air. The other two sisters had
turned round to look at the intruder. Caroline still grasped her knife
and fork; Emmeline's fingers were round the stem of her claret glass.
For what seemed a very long time, George and the three sisters stared
at one another in silence. They were a group of statues. Then suddenly
there was movement. Georgiana dropped her chicken bone, Caroline's knife
and fork clattered on her plate. The movement propagated itself, grew
more decisive; Emmeline sprang to her feet, uttering a cry. The wave of
panic reached George; he turned and, mumbling something unintelligible
as he went, rushed out of the room and down the winding stairs. He came
to a standstill in the hall, and there, all by himself in the quiet
house, he began to laugh.

"At luncheon it was noticed that the sisters ate a little more than
usual. Georgiana toyed with some French beans and a spoonful of
calves'-foot jelly. 'I feel a little stronger to-day,' she said to Lord
Timpany, when he congratulated her on this increase of appetite; 'a
little more material,' she added, with a nervous laugh. Looking up, she
caught George's eye; a blush suffused her cheeks and she looked hastily
away.

"In the garden that afternoon they found themselves for a moment alone.

"You won't tell anyone, George? Promise you won't tell anyone,' she
implored. 'It would