Lothair

were it not for the unrivalled feats of Lady Montairy. She was the queen of croquet. Her sisters also used the mallet with admirable skill, but not like Georgina. Lord Montairy always looke

ce, if it were all the same.”“I should so like to see the aviary,” said Lothair.“Well, we will go.”And this rather extended their walk, and withdrew them more from the great amusement of the day.“I wish your grace would do me a great favor,” said Lothair, abruptly breaking a rather prolonged silence.“And what is that?” said the duchess.“It is a very great favor,” repeated Lothair.“If it be in my power to grant it, its magnitude would only be an additional recommendation.”“Well,” said Lothair, blushing deeply, and speaking with much agitation, “I would ask your grace’s permission to offer my hand to your daughter.”The duchess I looked amazed. “Corisande!” she exclaimed.“Yes, to Lady Corisande.”“Corisande,” replied the duchess, after a pause, “has absolutely not yet entered the world. Corisande is a child; and you—you, my dear friend—I am sure you will pardon me If I say, so—you are not very much older than Corisande.”“I have no wish to enter the world,” said Lothair, with much decision.“I am not an enemy to youthful marriages,” said the duchess. “I married early myself, and my children married early; and I am very happy, and I hope they are; but some experience of society before we settle is most desirable, and is one of the conditions, I cannot but believe, of that felicity which we all seek.”“I hate society,” said Lothair. “I would never go out of my domestic circle, if it were the circle I contemplate.”“My dear young friend,” said the duchess, “you could hardly have seen enough of society to speak with so much decision.”“I have seen quite enough of it,” said Lothair. “I went to an evening party last season—I came up from Christchurch on purpose for it—and if ever they catch me at another, they shall inflict any penalty they please.”“I fear it was a stupid party,” said the duchess, smiling, and glad to turn, if possible, the conversation into a lighter vein.“No, it was a very grand party, I believe, and not exactly stupid—it was not, that; but I was disgusted with all I saw and all I heard. It seemed to me a mass of affectation, falsehood, and malignity.”“Oh! dear,” said the duchess, “how very dreadful! But I did not mean merely going to parties for society; I meant knowledge of the world, and that experience which enables us to form sound opinions on the affairs of life.”“Oh! as for that,” said Lothair, “my, opinions are already formed on every subject; that is to say, every subject of importance; and, what is more, they will never change.”“I could not say that of Corisande,” said the duchess.“I think we agree on all the great things,” said Lothair, musingly. “Her church views may be a little higher than mine, but I do not anticipate any permanent difficulty on that head. Although my uncle made me go to kirk, I always hated it and always considered myself a churchman. Then, as to churches themselves, she is in favor of building churches, and so am I; and schools—there is no quantity of schools I would not establish.