e
deprecated. Of late, too, there had been such a decrease of petulance
in Charles, as justified her in trusting him, and lastly, it must be
observed that she was one of those open-hearted people who cannot make a
discovery nor endure an anxiety without imparting it. Her tact, indeed,
led her to make a prudent choice of confidants, and in this case her son
was by far the best, though she had spoken without premeditation. Her
nature would never have allowed her to act as her daughter was doing;
she would have been without the strength to conceal her feelings,
especially when deprived of the safety-valve of free intercourse with
their object.

The visit took place as arranged, and very uncomfortable it was to all
who looked deeper than the surface. In the first place, Philip found
there the last person he wished his friend to meet--Lady Eveleen, who
had been persuaded to stay for the dinner-party; but Mr. Thorndale was,
as Charles would have said, on his good behaviour, and, ashamed of the
fascination her manners exercised over him, was resolved to resist it,
answered her gay remarks with brief sentences and stiff smiles, and
consorted chiefly with the gentlemen.

Laura was grave and silent, trying to appear unconscious, and only
succeeding in being visibly constrained. Philip was anxious and stern in
his attempts to appear unconcerned, and even Guy was not quite as bright
and free as usual, being puzzled as to how far he was forgiven about the
ball.

Amabel could not think what had come to every one, and tried in vain to
make them sociable. In the evening they had recourse to a game, said
to be for Charlotte's amusement, but in reality to obviate some of the
stiffness and constraint; yet even this led to awkward situations. Each
person was to set down his or her favourite character in history and
fiction, flower, virtue, and time at which to have lived, and these were
all to be appropriated to the writers. The first read was--

'Lily of the valley--truth--Joan of Arc--Padre Cristoforo--the present
time.'

'Amy!' exclaimed Guy.

'I see you are right,' said Charles; 'but tell me your grounds!'

'Padre Cristoforo,' was the answer.

'Fancy little Amy choosing Joan of Arc,' said Eveleen, 'she who is
afraid of a tolerable sized grasshopper.'

'I should like to have been Joan's sister, and heard her tell about her
visions,' said Amy.

'You would have taught her to believe them,' said Philip.

'Taught her!' cried