nued Magdalen, answering his blank look of inquiry with
perfect composure. "You are to act. Miss Marrable and I have a turn for
business, and we settled it all in five minutes. There are two parts in
the play left to be filled. One is Lucy, the waiting-maid; which is the
character I have undertaken--with papa's permission," she added, slyly
pinching her father's arm; "and he won't say No, will he? First, because
he's a darling; secondly, because I love him, and he loves me; thirdly,
because there is never any difference of opinion between us (is there?);
fourthly, because I give him a kiss, which naturally stops his mouth
and settles the whole question. Dear me, I'm wandering. Where was I just
now? Oh yes! explaining myself to Frank--"

"I beg your pardon," began Frank, attempting, at this point, to enter
his protest.

"The second character in the play," pursued Magdalen, without taking the
smallest notice of the protest, "is Falkland--a jealous lover, with a
fine flow of language. Miss Marrable and I discussed Falkland privately
on the window-seat while the rest were talking. She is a delightful
girl--so impulsive, so sensible, so entirely unaffected. She confided
in me. She said: 'One of our miseries is that we can't find a gentleman
who will grapple with the hideous difficulties of Falkland.' Of course
I soothed her. Of course I said: 'I've got the gentleman, and he
shall grapple immediately.'--'Oh heavens! who is he?'--'Mr. Francis
Clare.'--'And where is he?'--'In the house at this moment.'--'Will you
be so very charming, Miss Vanstone, as to fetch him?'--'I'll fetch him,
Miss Marrable, with the greatest pleasure.' I left the window-seat--I
rushed into the morning-room--I smelled cigars--I followed the
smell--and here I am."

"It's a compliment, I know, to be asked to act," said Frank, in great
embarrassment. "But I hope you and Miss Marrable will excuse me--"

"Certainly not. Miss Marrable and I are both remarkable for the firmness
of our characters. When we say Mr. So-and-So is positively to act the
part of Falkland, we positively mean it. Come in and be introduced."

"But I never tried to act. I don't know how."

"Not of the slightest consequence. If you don't know how, come to me and
I'll teach you."

"You!" exclaimed Mr. Vanstone. "What do you know about it?"

"Pray, papa, be serious! I have the strongest internal conviction that
I could act every character in the play--Falkland included. Don't let me