in the opinion of
any one who, remembering Valentine's smiling face, small forehead, and
calm eyes, sees the same contour of countenance, with an expression at
once grave and sweet; features less regular, but with a grand
intellectual brow, and keen blue eyes--not so handsome as Valentine's,
but with twice as direct an outlook and twice as much tenderness of
feeling in them; and has enough insight to perceive the difference of
character announced by these varieties in the type.

John Mortimer, who was persistently talking to Emily, felt that
Brandon's eyes were upon him, and that he looked amused. He never
doubted that his work had been observed, and that his wish would be
respected.

"Luncheon's on the table."

"John," said Brandon instantly, "will you take in my wife?"

John obeyed. He knew she did not sit at the head of the table, so he
took it and placed her on his right, while Emily and her curate were on
his left. It was a very large party, but during the two minutes they had
been alone together Brandon and Dorothea had altered the whole
arrangement of it.

John saw that Brandon had given to him his own usual place, and had
taken the bottom of the table. He thought his own way of managing that
matter would have been simpler, but he was very well content, and made
himself highly agreeable till there chanced to be a little cessation of
the clatter of plates, and a noticeable pause in the conversation. Then
Justina began to play her part.

"Mr. Mortimer," she said, leaning a little before Emily's curate, "this
is not at all too late for the north of Italy, is it? I want to visit
Italy."

"I should not set out so late in the year," John answered. "I should not
stay even at Florence a day later than the end of May."

"Oh, don't say that!" she answered. "I have been so longing, you know,
for years to go to the north of Italy, and now it seems as if there was
a chance--as if my mother would consent."

"You know!" thought John. "I know nothing of the kind, how should I?"

"It really does seem now as if we might leave England for a few
months," she continued. "There is nothing at all to keep her here, if
she could but think so. You saw my brother the other day?"

"Yes."

"And you thought he looked tolerably well again, did you not?"

"Yes; I think I did."

"Then," she continued persuasively, and with all serenity, several
people being now very attentive to the conversation--"then, if my mother
should cha