more to the point, she never contradicted Mr. White; but Julian will not want a nurse all his days, I hope." 66 Why, no," said Mr. Murray, "but I would not be unmindful of what she has done. We must consider the girl's feelings, Sophy." It was more than the hard woman of the world, whose conversation always ran on love and lovers, was likely to do, but she was an excellent manœuvrer. "Julian is very dilatory," she resumed, “ and I see plainly he is too content with things as they are, to be in any hurry to speak. Once separate them now, and the chances are the whole thing will pass off." "I "I hope so," said Mr. Murray, gravely. really hope it may; but I should be sorry to do. anything unhandsome by your sister's child." "Of course," interrupted she, "of course, it would be better not to speak to Julian, unless it was absolutely necessary. Then lay the state of the case before him, and let him judge for himself; there can be no possible harm in that." "And the poor girl is to take her chance," said he, half ironically, half reproachfully. "Never mind Maud. She will get over her first love as other girls do; a few tears, and a little sentiment, are a matter of course." CHAPTER XX. "They seated in the London train, The bell rang, and, with shriek like death, With ponderous pulse and fiery breath, The Angel in the House. "Farewell! A word which must be, and hath been; Childe Harold. N due course of time, just as Julian had foreseen, Lady Louis Crichton wrote and asked Maud to accompany her to the Isle of Wight. Herbert brought the note of invitation himself; and, greatly to his surprise, Mrs. Murray instantly acquiesced in an arrangement, he was rather doubtful of her allowing. She only made one condition; Herbert should take charge of his sister up to town, and cross with her from Southampton if necessary. That seemed but natural. Lady Louis made two propositions; either Maud should join her without loss of time, and partake of such scant gaieties as the fag-end of the London season would enable her to offer-she could promise her an opera box one night certainly, or else follow her to Ryde the end of the week after. Maud thought she needed the longer time for preparation; but Mrs. Murray assured Herbert it was quite unnecessary; she could go at once; and Mrs. Percival was summoned into the boudoir forthwith, where Mrs. Murray lent an attentive ear to all that accomplished damsel's suggestions on the subject of Miss Bingley's wardrobe; and, finally, her aunt carried off Maud into Windsor, to make some needful purchases. Herbert was persuaded to pass the interim at Bankside; and on the third evening, when Maud went up to bed, she found Percival busy with her travelling boxes. 66 Everything is finished, Miss Bingley. There is the black lace dress for the Opera, and the white roses should be worn with that." "But the Ryde Ball," suggested the young lady. "It ought to be pansies with the white crape, Miss Bingley, indeed it ought," said Percival, with an earnestness worthy of a better cause. "I will see what I can manage when I get to London," was the answer. Maud had a natural aptitude for dress; it was with her an instinct rather than a taste; and, without any apparent striving for effect, she always chose that which, however simple, harmonized the best with her style of appearance and character. She, too, thought that pansies would be a great addition to the white crape, embroidered in the same velvety hue; but though she had gone into Windsor with a whole quarter's income in her purse, Mrs. Murray had disbursed the money so freely for her in ribbons, gloves, and trimmings, that the prospective expenses of her visit, were already beginning to be a source of anxiety to her. She had not liked to remonstrate, for Mrs. Murray, if she had been extravagant in her behalf, had been liberal too. The above-mentioned ball-dress, and a bonnet, had both been her presents; true, the latter had been her own Ascot failure, but the former had never been put on, and was given to Maud, made, and trimmed, and finished exactly as it had come from London for her aunt's use, but it was supposed to be mourning, and was now discarded accordingly. Percival pronounced it “was just the thing for Miss Bingley," and, with much glorification of her own skill in adapting it to the slight graceful figure, she displayed her handiwork. "Six dresses! three for the morning, three for the evening," said she to herself, as she turned the key upon her labours," and Lady Louis Crichton's Mamselle may find fault if she can. She caught sight of these black lace flounces the first evening my young lady wore them; they're splendid, and everything else good;" and with this comfortable reflection Mrs. Percival solaced herself while undressing Miss Bingley, who apparently gave more heed to the table of fares in Bradshaw, than to the said Percival's agreeable conversation. That damsel, however, on retiring, found a willing auditor in Mr. Paton, then waiting outside his master's door. Him she informed, "If such things were as Miss Bingley wanted a maid of her own, she thought she had as good a chance of the place as anybody. Sincerely did she hope parties knew their own minds, and that there would be no ons and offs, for really Mrs. Murray was almost past any human being's patience." Paton affirmed, "In that case things might be very comfortable; and that when his master was married and settled, he thought it would be time |