as very glad to see you as bad as myself, sir," said Mrs. Frederick
Langford. "I was very much ashamed of being so foolish, but then, you
know, I could hardly ever read through that scene without crying."

"Ah! you are a prudent mamma, and will not let her be conceited. But
to see Geoffrey, with his lips quivering, and yet frowning and looking
savage with all his might and main! Well, you are a capital set of
actors, all of you, and we must see the end of it."

This was the great desire of Beatrice, and she was annoyed with
Henrietta for having thrown aside her borrowed garments, but the Fates
decreed otherwise. The Christmas pie came in, grandpapa proceeded to
carve it, and soon lost the remembrance of the charade in talking to
his eldest grandson about his travels. A sailor just returned from
four years on the South American coast, who had doubled Cape Horn, shot
condors on the Andes, caught goats at Juan Fernandez, fished for sharks
in the Atlantic, and heard parrots chatter in the Brazilian woods, could
not fail to be very entertaining, even though he cared not for the Incas
of Peru, and could tell little about the beauties of an iceberg; and
accordingly everyone was greatly entertained, except the Queen Bee, who
sat in a corner of the sofa, playing with her watch-chain, wondering
how long Roger would go on eating pie, looking at the time-piece, and
strangling the yawns induced by her inability to attract the notice of
either of her squires, whose eyes and ears were all for the newcomer.
She was not even missed; if she had been, it would have been some
consolation; but on they went, listening and laughing, as if the course
of the Euphrosyne, her quick sailing, and the adventures of her crew,
were the only subjects of interest in the world. He was only at home for
a week, but so much the worse, that would be till the end of Beatrice's
own visit, and she supposed it would be nothing but Euphrosyne the whole
time.

There was at last a change: Roger had half a hundred questions to ask
about his cousins and all the neighbours.

"And has Philip Carey set up for himself at Allonfield? Does he get any
practice? I have a great mind to be ill; it would be such a joke to be
doctored by Master Philip!"

"Ah! to think of your taking Mr. Frederick for poor Philip," said
Jessie. "I assure you," nodding to Fred, "I take it as a great
compliment, and so will Philip."

"And is Fanny Evans as pretty as ever?"

"Oh! grown quite