Onslow, indeed, ought to
call at once; but he is so odd. Never mind, we shall be great friends;
and you 'll bring all your little carving tools and your models with
you, and work in my room. Your sister her embroidery, or her lace, or
her crochet, or whatever it is, or you 'll read German for me, like a
dear child, that will be so delightful. I can't understand a word of it,
but it sounds so soft, and you 'll tell me all it 's about won't you?
And then this poor thing must want for nothing."

"Nay, madam, he is in no need of anything but kindness. In a land where
such simple habits prevail, Hans Roeckle passes for rich."

"How strange! how very odd! but I remember that poor Prince of
Stolzenheimer. Papa used to say that he had six cordons, but only one
coat! I believe it was true."

"Hanserl is better off, madam," replied Nelly, smiling; "at least as
regards the coats."

"Tell him, then, that I've been to see him, and am so grieved at his
accident, but that it was all Colonel Haggerstone's fault, a bit of
silly vanity to show how well he could shoot, and I 'm certain it just
comes of being used to the pistols. I never missed when I fired with
Norwood's!"

The utterance of that name seemed to recall her from the discursive
babble. She paused, and for a moment or two she was silent. At last,
turning to the sisters, she reiterated her hopes of a speedy meeting,
and with a cordial pressure of the hand to each, wished her last
good-night, and departed.

CHAPTER X. A FAMILY DISCUSSION.

LONG before Lady Hester awoke on the following morning every
circumstance of her visit was known to Grounsell. It was the doctor's
custom to see Dalton early each day, and before Sir Stafford was
stirring, and to chat away an hour or so with the invalid, telling
the current news of the time, and cheering his spirits by those little
devices which are not among the worst resources of the Materia Medica.
With all his knowledge of Lady Hester's character, her caprices,
her whims, and her insatiable passion for excitement, he was still
astonished beyond measure at this step: not that the false air of
benevolence or charity deceived him, he was too old a practitioner in
medicine, and had seen far too much of the dark side of human nature,
to be easily gulled, but his surprise arose from the novelty of her
condescending to know, and even propitiate, the good graces of people
whom she usually professed to regard as the least interesting