d as much imagination as herself; so that when, half an hour late

e, Austin; it's such

d have I missed?"

; he has made us suc

world is Mr. M

an--the gentleman whose name I c

party who was so struck with C

is Morris To

me here to pr

l answer, turning away to the window,

out your permission," said Mr

e seems to have yours,

her forehead touching the window-panes, listened to this exchange of epigram

octor added, "you had better ca

s afterwards; but Dr. Sloper was not call

ht in, and Mrs. Penniman, effacing herself and protesting, made

for you--for you

y--it was to gain my confidence. Literally, my dear,

was perfe

haracter, and of remarkable powers of satire; a keen, resolute, brilliant nature, with which one must exer

been perfectly happy with Mr. Penniman, but in the bot

t of husband I

erious-- she ended by calling

lone, and her aunt did not come

re--in the front parlour, in the big

cushion that was near him with his stick, and looking round the room a good deal, and at t

ome eyes which seemed to Catherine almost solemnly be

riendly; it took a practical turn, and he asked a number of questions about h

ing smile, "Tell me about your

tre, which had been but scantily gratified, and a taste for operatic music--that of Bellini and Donizetti, in especial (it must be remembered in extenuation

e was not particularl

re tiresome things; only, as he said, you had

ad written books about, and they we

as the great thing; he alwa

theatres in London and Paris. But the actors were always like the

, looking at Cather

ike you for; you

ded; "you see I a

afterwards, at leisure, she became conscious that she did--he began to

n--Pasta and Rubini and Lablache--and when you had do

elf," he said; "some

but some o

ted, by accident, to say that he woul

reet; but he might have spared his compunct

r time" had a delightful sound; it se

as ashamed and uncomfortable, why she should tell h

oon as the Doctor came into the house; and having done

t enough; her father stopped h

e propose to you to-d

een afraid he would say; and

meant it; and yet she would have liked, also, in denying it, to be a little p

ke it--it mad

she only stood, with her hand on the door-knob, loo

ctor to himself, "my dau

n Catherine found something; she had decided

ext time!" she exclaimed, wi

kly got out

; he wondered whether hi

me she reached it she bethought herself that there was

question again, so that she might reply: "Oh yes, Mr

ing occurred to him that he ought to inform himself properly about this han

not going to her for the purpose; there was no such hurry as that

t nor nervous; but he made notes of everyt

btained from Mrs. Almond about

ready been to a

excited; I don'

a that the young man is sup

very pe

she has not lived with me these twel

. Almond, who always enjoyed an opportunity to

that she had asked me about Mr.

nts to concea

o one blurts things o

ouse; pitch darkness alternati

u tell her?" th

; that I know ve

octor; "she would prefer him to have been guilty of some

of the little boy to whom you are about t

; he is a very old man; you

relation of La

given to understand that ther

'branches'--younger branches, elder branches,

he reigning line, but poor

ery little about him; she has only a

r a little, and she

she is a widow, with a litt

in the Sec

. Montgomery s

by which he might d

e is la

esn't s

y pride," sai

his pro

ny; he is lookin

e was once

nc

is hi

he is upwar

one into the N

roperty--which was perhaps the cause of his leavin

r the world, lived a

a kind of system,

with the intention, as he tells Ar

nest about Ca

should be incredulo

t you have never do

she has the prospect of

r a moment, and then, with the

appreciate h

lmond

only merit; I simply mea

and you appear to me never to h

le way of alluding to her

d as yours, Elizabeth,"

, with all her expectations--how mu

riageable, but she is

nia being so charmed with the idea

Lavinia, with her sensitive, sympat

s her ima

trike me as very disinterested. They prefer pretty girls--lively g

an has, who has no style at all," said Mrs. Almond. "The reason Catherine has received

e, and she dre

looks as if she had been married already,

on, "it is because they marry, as a general thing, so young; before twenty-

a little, Catherin

calcul

ry much," sa

y comes along, and he will be delighted

old enough, then; his

ves are pure; I should be very sor

a very prepossessing youth, you mig

reflected

present means

ve no

I say, with

with fiv

n he lives

up, and with a c

sk Mrs. Montgomery he

come to that,"

ay the Sec

te of the Se