ld have seen me, how angry she would have been! I have
never been allowed to cry--a relaxation for the lower classes, she
has always told me.

My face burned. All the bottles of Lubin in grandmamma's cupboard
would not wash off the stain of that kiss, I felt. I scrubbed my face
until it was crimson, and then I heard grandmamma's voice and had to
pull myself together.

I have always said she had hawk's eyes; they see everything, even with
the blinds down in her room. When I went in she noticed my red lids
and asked the cause of them.

"Mr. Gurrage has been here and has asked me to marry him, grandmamma,"
I said.

"At this hour in the morning! What does the young man mean?"

"He saw me dusting the Sevres from the road and came in."

Grandmamma kissed me--a thing of the greatest rareness.

"My child," she said, "try and remember to accept fate without noise.
Now go and rest until breakfast, or you will not be pretty for your
ball to-night."

The Marquis's congratulations were different when we met in the _salle
a manger_; he kissed my hand. How cool and fine his old, withered
fingers felt!

"You will be the most beautiful _debutante_ to-night, _ma chere
enfant_," he said; "and all the _felicitations_ are for Monsieur
Gurrage. You are a noble girl--but such is life. My wife detested
me--_dans le temps_. But what will you?"

"You, at least, were a gentleman, Marquis," I said.

"There is that, to be sure," he allowed. "But my wife preferred her
dancing-master. One can never judge."

At half-past two o'clock (they must have gobbled their lunch), Mrs.
Gurrage, Augustus--yes, I must get accustomed to saying that odious
name--Augustus and Miss Hoad drove up in the barouche, and got
solemnly out and came up to the door which Hephzibah held open for
them. They solemnly entered the sitting-room where we all were, and
solemnly shook hands. There is something dreadfully ill-behaved about
me to-day. I could hardly prevent myself from screaming with laughter.

"I've heard the joyous news," Mrs. Gurrage said, "and I've come to
take you to me heart, me dear."

Upon which I was folded fondly against a mosaic brooch containing a
lock of hair of the late Mr. Gurrage.

It says a great deal for the unassailable dignity of grandmamma that
she did not share the same fate. She, however, escaped with only
numerous hand-shakings.

"He is, indeed, to be congratulated, _votre fils_, madame," the
Marquis said, on being presented.