Mabel, Vol. I (of 3)

an the ca

e same fon

e self-same

e prayer wer

blood, and

art so oft s

other keep,

wrath, and

tian

m. A book was lying open by her side, but she app

it is past twelve o'clock. I

ght, that I thought you would be tired. I have been lying on your sofa, half asleep

Lesly; "but why do you ask, wh

l si

hey are termed, in contempt, when there is no good reason given for their not marrying. It is a foolish prejudice, but still a strong one; and, therefore, I would rat

are thinking of my feelings

I would not have it increased by one unkind, or worldly remark. You have done right, and can, therefore, afford to suffer; yet

knew why, by the arrival of their new guests, and she would willin

" for by that affectionate tit

ear," said Mabel; "a

of Lucy, and then about Captain Clair, and the blackberries. You said she would

zles me, rather, but she says s

aid Amy, sitting up in her bed, as if prepa

ou will not choose your friends well, and

r to find you out so soon, but it puzzles me to thi

us think of her just now, for if we never think of ourselves at any other tim

er heated cheeks, and made her comfortable, so that Amy, ha

an usual, that she might enjoy as much of her

d, that if they could have a chat

ersation on the arrangements of the day, led her to her sunny d

pleasant has occurred, to make you wish to speak to me; but, pe

usness that the feelings awakened by her sister

listened to your trials and troubl

en up your time last night, had I known that y

er hear you talk than talk myself, for it does me good to be with you, but really, n

s. Lesly, "and you know, if you are in

this year, which have really quite soured his temper. He does nothing now but grumble, saying, I am not half so economical as I ought to be, and I do not know wh

rposed Mrs. Lesly, "nothing makes a gir

he looks fit to be a duchess. Selina, too, has just that fairy beauty which requires the lightest and most delicate of colors, and how very soon they soil, particularly with polking-and, besides, they cannot always

ively. Few men intending to marry, like the prospect of furnishing an extravagant wardrobe. The idea of havin

it is of you to talk in this way. You see,

ndly, I do assure y

but that cutting way of speaking hurts the fee

meant a little good advice, but as yo

mine have, to marry men of wealth and station, who will only be too proud to see them dre

indolent for any long argument, and generally gave up a p

llars, recovering her good-temper. "You know Mr. Villars is so

s. Lesly; "my William never said a

nt with me, I assure you-Villars is always fin

I certainly never remember bei

t as ever; and if anything goes wrong, then he is off to London to give his advice, he says, and comes home so cross, there is no speaking a word to him, and if he finds us going out, as we do, of course, nearly every night, then he goes off su

etter to keep these things from everybody; and you cannot bl

now to the point-I must tell you, that last winter, I was foolish enough to run up some bills with my jeweller, milliner, and others, a little higher than ordinary, and now every day they become more importunate, and I have made excuses t

Mrs. Lesly; "think of my poor chil

surprised; "do you think I could be so barbarous as to think of hurtin

tell Mr. Villars? it will be but the anger of an

, when his present difficulties are o

u think I am right in suffering more of my

ised to pay that back with five per cent interest when my aunt Clara dies, and leaves me the legacy she promised, and wh

I really do not know what I have do

pon the spill she was twisting from the pieces of an old letter; "b

, however I may disguise the truth from Mabel-I am not ignorant that a few weeks may, and a

in her timid and indolent mind, an

t your children shall never want a home while I have one, and every comfort which

rs. Lesly, "I am afraid it is unk

uted deed; as Villars promises positively, I shall do what I like with the money, when I get it. Have I not promised to continue to pay five per cent interest to your children as well as yourself, should you not live, as I hope and trust you may, many, many years. I can

vacant look, and she passed her hand over her fo

to bind myself to two sums; for every one may not be so honourable as yourself, a

but once again, my dear sister, let me entreat you to have no concealments from your husband

"why not say you will not at once, that would be plain and open, but as

know I can never bear to see you cry-dry your tea

brightened up

me a draft, and I will get it changed in Bath

your sake, to a very few hundreds, a mere trifle, but my children!" excla

r," said Mrs. Villars, "but nonsen

n too well to flatter me with such vain hopes. I have been better since

on her forehead, and s

ich her better self was busily engaged; and the worldly woman almost feared the

nal display both in dress and housekeeping, during the approaching visit of Colonel Hargrave to Bath, which the worldly mother hoped, till she believe

udent wife, that there would be no harm in forestalling the legacy of a thousand pounds, promised by an invalid aunt, by adding another hundred to the five she had already borrowed upon it, under the impression that any present expend

oney, the girls' old dresses were new to Hargrave, and he might be a man of simple habits, and, perhaps, would really be more attracted by white muslin, than crimson velvet-if so, she was perhaps sinning for no purpose-might she not do without the money-she might, but she had never learnt the principle of self-denial, where right and wrong is concerned; and then come second th

every thing; and, at the end of the season, no doubt the longed-for marriage would take place; and, even supposing her grateful daughter forgot to share her pin money with her, Mr. Villars could not but applaud her conduct and settle her debt; and, even if no

ndeed, and taken up her pen with a trembling hand; but h

ht the worldly woman; yet s

ttitude of observation, "I was thinking how very strange it was that I never

thought it worth while to bring my work for the short ti

a month, it happened then as well," sa

that you should remember such trifles," said Mrs.

r, took up her pen, and wrote like a frighte

taking her pen from her hand, wrote a memorandum of

Amy ran into the

ger-do please give me a piece of

pt exclaiming that she was only anxious about her dress, hurried her off to

ed at the paper sh

possible! It is so awkward to be pressed for money, at all sorts of times, and poor Annie is not long for this world, I see. That Mabel has a sharp eye, an

the paper to her, amongst the pieces she was tearing up. Where was the voice of c

e it, and it was no act of her own. Then she slowly twisted bit after bit into spills, laying each with those s

said she, after looking on all

u put it in your secretary-you ha

had had it open that morning, she knew. Her sister must remember better than she did. She would look presently, she had not quite the resol

slowly drove up to the door, and Mabel entered to te

e-à-tête, and hurried down stairs. Mabel regarded her mother's pale looks with affectionate anxiety; but there was

hin herself when her aunt kissed her, and blessed her in a tone which made her feel cold; nor was she sorry when she saw her get into the carriage, attended by the bright carpet-bag-and when box after bo

h till the carriage turned the corner, and was only visible down Amy's point of observation on the wa

passed while I was

parition in their quiet village, and not yet quite aware of

of a deeper tint,

ain C