y.

Aunt Philippa's letter was very long and rambling. She began by
expressing herself as deeply shocked and grieved at Jocelyn's behaviour,
which was both dishonourable and unlady-like, and had given her father
great pain. 'Dear old dad! I don't believe it,' observed Jill, pursing
her lips at this.

Aunt Philippa regretted that she could no longer trust her young
daughter,--she was sure Sara would never have behaved so at her age,--and
she felt much wounded by Jocelyn's defiant action. At the same time, she
was equally deceived in Fraeulein Hennig, she was certainly more to blame
than Jocelyn. Mr. Cunliffe had told her things that greatly surprised
her. Uncle Brian was very angry, and insisted that she should be
dismissed. Under these distressing circumstances, and as it would not be
safe for Jocelyn to come back to Hyde Park Gate until the rooms had been
properly disinfected, she must beg me as a favour to herself and Uncle
Brian to keep Jocelyn with me until they went to Hastings. Mr. Cunliffe
knew of a finishing governess, a Miss Gillespie, who was most highly
recommended as a well-principled and thoroughly cultured person, only she
would not be at liberty for three or four weeks. As I reached this point
of Aunt Philippa's letter, I was obliged to lay it down to prevent myself
from being strangled.

'Well, Jill, there is no need to hug me to death: it is Uncle Max that
you have to thank, and not me.'

'Yes, but you see it would never do to hug him, for he is not a bit my
uncle, so I am doing it by deputy,' observed Jill recklessly. 'Oh,
Ursula, what a darling you are! and what a dear fellow he is! To think
of my staying here three or four weeks! You will let me help you nurse
people, won't you?' very coaxingly.

'We will see about that presently; but, Jill, you have never opened your
mother's letter. Now, as it is perfectly impossible that you can sleep on
the floor for weeks, and as I do not intend to keep such a chatterbox in
my room, I am going to see what Mrs. Barton advises.' And leaving Jill to
digest Aunt Philippa's scolding as well as she could, I went in search of
the little widow.

I found, to my relief, that there was another room in the cottage, though
it could not boast of much furniture beyond a bed and wash-stand: so,
after a little consideration, I started off to the vicarage to hold a
consultation with Mrs. Drabble.

The upshot of our talk was so satisfactory, and Mrs. Barton and Nathaniel