to have the packets
brought in by the post, or the bigger boxes that arrived from the
station, and to open them and produce out of the wadding or the saw-dust
one pretty thing after another. At first it was altogether fresh and
amusing, this new kind of existence, though after a while she grew
_blasee_, as may be supposed. Lady Mariamne's present she was a little
ashamed of: not that she cared much, but because of the look on her
mother's face when those inferior articles were unpacked; and at the
ring which old Lord St. Serf sent her she laughed freely.

"I will put it with my own little old baby rings in this little silver
tray, and they will all look as if they were antiques, or something
worth looking at," said Elinor. Happily there were other people who
endowed her more richly with rings fit for a bride to wear. The
relations at a distance were more or less pleased with Elinor's
prospects. A few, indeed, from different parts of the world wrote in
the vein of Elinor's home-advisers, hoping that it was not the Mr.
Compton who was so well known as a betting man whom she was going to
marry; but the fact that she was marrying into a noble family, and
would henceforward be known as the Honourable Mrs. Compton, mollified
even these critics. Only three brothers--one a great invalid, and two
soldiers--between him and the title. Elinor's relations promptly
inaugurated in their imaginations a great war, in which two noble
regiments were cut to pieces, to dispose of the two Captains Compton;
and as for the invalid, that he would obligingly die off was a
contingency which nobody doubted--and behold Elinor Dennistoun Lady
St. Serf! This greatly calmed criticism among her relations, who
were all at a distance, and whose approval or disapproval did not
much affect her spirits anyhow. John Tatham's father, Mrs. Dennistoun's
cousin, was of more consequence, chiefly as being John's father, but
also a little for himself, and it was remarked that he said not a
word against the marriage, but sent a very handsome present, and many
congratulations--chiefly inspired (but this Elinor did not divine) by an
unfeigned satisfaction that it was not his son who was the bridegroom.
Mr. Tatham, senr., did not approve of early marriages for young men
pushing their way at the bar, unless the bride was, so to speak, in the
profession and could be of use to her husband. Even in such cases, the
young man was better off without a wife, he was of opinion