n to
Juliana, but they were lost on one in whom the art of conversation was
yet undeveloped, and who was chiefly intent on reading her brother's
face, and catching what Lucy was saying. She had nearly given up
listening in despair, when she heard, 'Pistols? oh, of course. Rashe has
gone to the expense of a revolver, but I extracted grandpapa's from the
family armoury--such little darlings. I'm strongly tempted to send a
challenge, just to keep them in use--that's because you despise me--I'm a
crack shot--we practised every day last winter--women shoot much better
than men, because they don't make their hands unsteady--what can be
better than the guidance of Ratia, the feminine of Ratio, reason, isn't
it?'

It is not quite certain that this horrible Latinity did not shock Miss
Fennimore's discreet pupil more than all the rest, as a wilful insult to
Miss Charlecote's education!

She herself was not to escape 'the guidance of Ratia,' after dinner. Her
silence had been an additional proof to the good-natured Rashe that she
was a child to be protected and entertained, so she paraded her through
the rooms, coaxed her to play when no one was listening, showed her
illustrated books and new-fashioned puzzles, and domineered over her so
closely, that she had not a moment in which to speak a word to her
brother, whom she saw disconsolately watching the hedge of gentlemen
round Lucy. Was it wrong to feel so ungrateful to a person exclusively
devoted to her entertainment for that entire evening?

Phoebe had never known a room-mate nor the solace of a bed-time gossip,
and by the time Miss Charlecote began to think of opening the door
between their rooms, and discussing the disgusts of the day, the sounds
of moving about had ceased. Honor looked in, and could not help
advancing to the bedside to enjoy the sight of the rosy face in the sound
healthful sleep, the lips unclosed, and the silken brown hair wound
plainly across the round brow, the childish outline and expression of the
features even sweeter in sleep than awake. It rested Honora's wearied
anxious spirit to watch the perfect repose of that innocent young face,
and she stood still for some minutes, breathing an ejaculation that the
child might ever be as guileless and peaceful as now, and then sighing at
the thought of other young sleepers, beside whose couches even fonder
prayers had been uttered, only, as it seemed, to be blown aside.

She was turning away, when P