say with a
stranger, but she was able to check herself before the offensive word
was uttered,--"which I cannot bring myself to discuss with any one."

"But you don't mean to say that you won't see me?"

"I will not talk upon that matter," said Alice. "I will not do it
even with Lady Macleod."

"No," said Lady Midlothian, and her sharp grey eyes now began to
kindle with anger; "and therefore it is so very necessary that other
friends should interfere."

"But I will endure no interference," said Alice, "either from persons
who are friends or who are not friends." And as she spoke she rose
from her chair. "You must forgive me, Lady Midlothian, if I say that
I can have no conversation with you on this matter." Then she walked
out of the room, leaving the Countess and Lady Glencora together. As
she went Miss Palliser lifted her eyes from her book, and knew that
there had been a quarrel, but I doubt if she had heard any of the
words which had been spoken.

"The most self-willed young woman I ever met in my life," said Lady
Midlothian, as soon as Alice was gone.

"I knew very well how it would be," said Lady Glencora.

"But it is quite frightful, my dear. She has been engaged, with the
consent of all her friends, to this young man."

"I know all about it."

"But you must think she is very wrong."

"I don't quite understand her, but I suppose she fears they would not
be happy together."

"Understand her! I should think not; nobody can understand her. A
young woman to become engaged to a gentleman in that way,--before all
the world, as one may say;--to go to his house, as I am told, and
talk to the servants, and give orders about the furniture and then
turn round and simply say that she has changed her mind! She hasn't
given the slightest reason to my knowledge." And Lady Midlothian, as
she insisted on the absolute iniquity of Alice's proceedings, almost
startled Lady Glencora by the eagerness of her countenance. Lady
Midlothian had been one of those who, even now not quite two years
ago, had assisted in obtaining the submission of Lady Glencora
herself. Lady Midlothian seemed on the present occasion to remember
nothing of this, but Lady Glencora remembered it very exactly.
"I shall not give it up," continued Lady Midlothian. "I have the
greatest possible objection to her father, who contrived to connect
himself with our family in a most shameful manner, without the
slightest encouragement. I don't think I have sp