'Well, then'--pausing for a moment--'tell me what you do there.

Here you read, or have lessons, or otherwise improve your mind,

till the middle of the day; take a walk before lunch, go a drive

with your aunt after, and have some kind of engagement in the

evening. There, now fill up your day at Helstone. Shall you ride,

drive, or walk?' 'Walk, decidedly. We have no horse, not even for papa. He walks

to the very extremity of his parish. The walks are so beautiful,

it would be a shame to drive--almost a shame to ride.'

'Shall you garden much? That, I believe, is a proper employment

for young ladies in the country.' '

I don't know. I am afraid I shan't like such hard work.'

'Archery parties--pic-nics--race-balls--hunt-balls?'

'Oh no!' said she, laughing. 'Papa's living is very small; and

even if we were near such things, I doubt if I should go to

them.'

'I see, you won't tell me anything. You will only tell me that

you are not going to do this and that. Before the vacation ends,

I think I shall pay you a call, and see what you really do employ

yourself in.'

'I hope you will. Then you will see for yourself how beautiful

Helstone is. Now I must go. Edith is sitting down to play, and I

just know enough of music to turn over the leaves for her; and

besides, Aunt Shaw won't like us to talk.' Edith played

brilliantly. In the middle of the piece the door half-opened, and

Edith saw Captain Lennox hesitating whether to come in. She threw

down her music, and rushed out of the room, leaving Margaret

standing confused and blushing to explain to the astonished

guests what vision had shown itself to cause Edith's sudden

flight. Captain Lennox had come earlier than was expected; or was

it really so late? They looked at their watches, were duly

shocked, and took their leave.

Then Edith came back, glowing with pleasure, half-shyly,

half-proudly leading in her tall handsome Captain. His brother

shook hands with him, and Mrs. Shaw welcomed him in her gentle

kindly way, which had always something plaintive in it, arising

from the long habit of considering herself a victim to an

uncongenial marriage. Now that, the General being gone, she had

every good of life, with as few drawbacks as possible, she had

been rather perplexed to find an anxiety, if not a sorrow. She

had, however, of late settled upon her own health as a source of

apprehension; she had a nervous little cough whenever she thought

about it; and some complaisant doctor ordered her just what she

desired,--a winter in Italy. Mrs. Shaw had as strong wishes as

most people, but she never liked to do anything from the open and

acknowledged motive of her own good will and pleasure; she

preferred being compelled to gratify herself by some other

person's command or desire. She really did persuade herself that

she was submitting to some hard external necessity; and thus she

was able to moan and complain in her soft manner, all the time

she was in reality doing just what she liked.




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