And, putting Hetherington out of the question, I don't feel equal to living in that confusion of tongues, which is, as Bessy takes care to inform me, greater than ever. Besides, I am sure that it will be a relief to them all, and to Robert in particular, to know that I am not coming.'

You are afraid that your presence may awaken inconvenient recollections? But that is an unnecessary caution, for people keep conveniently short memories on such points; and I have no doubt that Robert considers Mrs. Lennox to be his first and only love. However, please yourself about it.'

About what?' said Mrs. Mowbray, entering the room as the last words were spoken. She struck out an entirely new suggestion.

'I declare, William !' she eagerly exclaimed, 'that we ought to be at the wedding. Julia Lennox is a connexion of ours, and I remember seeing her once, and thinking her a most delightful person; and he is your own nephew-we certainly ought to be there.'

The Colonel did not express the dismay he felt; he only observed that the Selbys did not seem to expect them.

'Of course,' said Lucy, drawing up her head with conscious dignity, 'it is our part to offer. They could not tell whether I should like it. But I shall like it excessively, for I have hardly seen anything of London; and though there will not be much gaiety going on, we can go to the play, and see all the sights. We will take the horses up, and stay a month, or longer, as it suits us.'

Colonel Mowbray was not fond of London at any time; and he only thought it tolerable when the

clubs were full and the streets thronged. His face grew longer as Lucy unfolded her plans, and he said, reluctantly, 'If you wish it so much, my dear, we will certainly go ; but it might be better to defer our visit until after Easter. You will see London to greater advantage in the season.'

'But I wish to go now,' said Lucy, petulantly. 'I can't see why you should object, when there are so many good reasons for going. We can go back again after Easter, for it is dreadfully stupid to live all the year in the country.'

The Colonel was unpleasantly surprised by sentiments not quite consistent with the contented cheerfulness which he had thought so attractive when Lucy sat and stitched the wristbands of her father's shirts in the small parlour at the Rectory; but he saw the necessity of acquiescing with as good a grace as he could assume.

'At all events,' said Dorothy, who sat quietly waiting until the point was settled, 'there is no need that I should go. You will represent the family at the wedding, and I can write and offer myself to Hetherington.'

But Colonel and Mrs. Mowbray agreed in objecting to this arrangement. The Colonel had not yet recovered from the frisson with which he heard of his wife's intention 'to go to the play, and all the sights;' and he considered that if Dora's society might not enable him to dispense with his attendance, she would at all events be a companion in misfortune. And Lucy took up the matter still more strongly. 'It will be very hard on me,' she said; 'for when I cannot get William, I shall want some one to go

about with me, to show me the best shops, and that sort of thing. And, besides, it will be such fun to chaperon you to balls and parties.'

'Such gaieties are not much in Dora's line,' observed the Colonel. Dorothy said no more; and she wrote to inform Mrs. Selby that they were all coming up together to their house in Grosvenorsquare. 'After all,' she thought, 'Stephen would most likely have found some excuse for putting me off.' But that was indifferent comfort.

CHAPTER XX.

Little do men perceive what solitude is, and how far it extendeth for a crowd is not company, and faces are but a gallery of pictures, and talk but a tinkling cymbal, where there is no love.

MRS.

LORD BACON.

RS. MOWBRAY was in a flutter of eager expectation until the day arrived for their journey to London, and some of her superfluous energy was devoted to the task of reforming Dora's wardrobe.

'Really, Dora,' she exclaimed, 'you are not going up to town in that incorrigibly shabby dark merino, which you have been wearing all the winter.'

'Not all the winter,' said Dorothy; 'when winter ends, I shall look for something lighter and cooler.' 'Well, but, Dora,' persisted Lucy, 'people ought to dress respectably in London.'

With a dubious indifferent smile, Dorothy replied that her respectability was unimpeachable.

'You know what I mean,' said Lucy, impatiently; 'but I shall ask William.' Dorothy always heard of such an appeal with a peculiar pang. In other days the Colonel had thought his little Dora faultless, but now the decision was invariably made against her.

'How stupid you are, William!' said his little wife, dancing up to him and pulling the book out of his hands; always reading some dry, dull book, instead of attending to what we are about. I suppose, now, that you have not heard a word of what we were saying.'

'Not a syllable,' replied the Colonel.

'Then I have a great mind to punish you by making you guess; only you are so stupid about guessing. I want to know whether Dora has any right to make a Cinderella of herself? It is so hard on me; for when we go about together, people will think that it is my doing.'

'No one who knows you will do you that injustice,' said Colonel Mowbray; it is very benevolent of you to undertake to reform Dora's dress, which has been a great source of annoyance to her friends. Hitherto, she has set all arguments at defiance; but I wish you success, with all my heart.' He stretched out a long arm for his book, and sank back into his chair with a sigh of satisfaction.

"There!' said Lucy, triumphantly; 'you see he agrees with me exactly.'

'So I hear,' said Dorothy; 'he used to allow that colours sober and sad best suited my insignificant person.'

'Well, you see I have taught him better taste. You really would not look at all amiss if you were properly dressed, and did not wear your hair in that absurd fashion-stuck behind your ears. I remember,' continued Lucy, laughing at the recollection, 'that in the days when I used to look up to you in great awe, I tried to ape you in that par