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finding out that it must come to this。'
'Oh； you think it a matter of right and wrong！ But you don't think
balls wrong？'
'Oh no； only they won't do for such an absurd person as I am。 The last
turned my head for a week； and I am much too unsteady for this。'
'Well； if you think it a matter of duty； it can't be helped；' said Amy
sorrowfully； 'but I am very sorry。'
'Thank you；' said Guy； thinking it compassion； not regret； 'but I shall
do very well。 I shall be all the happier to…morrow for a quiet hour at
my Greek； and you'll tell me all the fun。'
'You liked it so much！' said Amy； 'but you have made up your mind and I
ought not to tease you。'
'That's right Amy； he does it on purpose to be teased；' said Eveleen；
'and I never knew anybody so provoking。 Mind； Sir Guy； if you make us
all too late； you shan't have the ghost of a quadrille with me。'
'I shall console myself by quadrilling with Andromache；' said Guy。
'Come； no nonsenseoff to dress directly！ How can you have the
conscience to stand there when the carriage is at the door？'
'I shall have great pleasure in handing you in when you are ready。'
'LauraAmy！ Does he really mean it？'
'I am afraid he does；' said Amy。
Eveleen let herself fall on the sofa as if fainting。 'Oh；' she said；
'take him away！ Let me never see the face of him again！ I'm perfectly
overcome！ All my teaching thrown away！'
'I am sorry for you；' said Guy； laughing。
'And how do you mean to face Maurice？'
'Tell him his first bugle has so distracted me that I can't answer for
the consequences if I come to…night。
'Mrs。 Edmonstone came in； saying；
'Come； I have kept you waiting shamefully； but I have been consoling
myself by thinking you must be well entertained； as I heard no
Harmonious Blacksmith。 Papa will be wondering where we are。'
'Oh； mamma！ Guy won't go。'
'Guy！ is anything the matter？'
'Nothing； thank you； only idleness。'
'This will never do。 You really must go； Guy。'
'Indeed！ I think not。 Pray don't order me； Mrs。 Edmonstone。'
'What o'clock is it； Amy？ Past ten！ Papa will be in despair！ What is
to be done？ How long do you take to dress； Guy？'
'Not under an hour；' said Guy； smiling。
'Nonsense！ But if there was time I should certainly send you。 Self…
discipline may be carried too far； Guy。 But now it can't be helpedI
don't know how to keep papa waiting any longer。 Laura； what shall I
do？'
'Let me go to Charles；' answered Guy。 'Perhaps I can read him to
sleep。'
'Thank you； but don't talk； or he will be too excited。 Reading would
be the very thing！ It will be a pretty story to tell every one who
asks for you that I have left you to nurse my son！'
'No； for no such good reason；' said Guy； 'only because I am a great
fool。'
'Well； Sir Guy； I am glad you can say one sensible word；' said Lady
Eveleen。
'Too true； I assure you；' he answered； as he handed her in。 'Good
night！ You will keep the quadrille for me till I am rational。'
He handed the others in； and shut the door。 Mrs。 Edmonstone； ruffled
out of her composure； exclaimed；
'Well； this is provoking！'
'Every one will be vexed；' said Laura。
'It will be so stupid；' said Amy。
'I give him up；' said Eveleen。 'I once had hopes of him。'
'If it was not for papa； I really would turn back this moment and fetch
him；' cried Mrs。 Edmonstone； starting forward。 'I'm sure it will give
offence。 I wish I had not consented。'
'He can't be made to see that his presence is of importance to any
living creature；' said Laura。
'What is the reason of this whim？' said Eveleen。
'No； Eveleen； it is not whim；' said Laura； 'it is because he thinks
dissipation makes him idle。'
'Then if he is idle I wonder what the rest of the world is！' said
Eveleen。 'I am sure we all ought to stay at home too。'
'I think so；' said Amy。 'I know I shall feel all night as if I was
wrong to be there。'
'I am angry；' said Mrs。 Edmonstone； 'and yet I believe it is a great
sacrifice。'
'Yes； mamma； after all our looking forward to it；' said Amy。 'Oh！
yes；' and her voice lost its piteous tone； 'it is a real sacrifice。'
'If he was not a mere boy； I should say a lover's quarrel was at the
bottom of it；' said Eveleen。 'Depend upon it； Laura； it is all your
fault。 You only danced once with him at our ball； and all this week
you have played for us； as if it was on purpose to cut him。'
Laura was glad of the darkness； and her mother； who had a particular
dislike to jokes of this sort； went on；'If it were only ourselves I
should not care； but there are so many who will fancy it caprice； or
worse。'
'The only comfort is；' said Amy； 'that it is Charlie's gain。'
'I hope they will not talk；' said Mrs。 Edmonstone。 'But Charlie will
never hold his tongue。 He will grow excited； and not sleep all night。'
Poor Mrs。 Edmonstone！ her trials did not end here； for when she replied
to her husband's inquiry for Guy； Mr。 Edmonstone said offence had
already been taken at his absence from the dinner； he would not have
had this happen for fifty pounds； she ought not to have suffered it；
but it was all her nonsense about Charles； and as to not being late；
she should have waited till midnight rather than not have brought him。
In short； he said as much more than he meant； as a man in a pet is apt
to say； and nevertheless Mrs。 Edmonstone had to look as amiable and
smiling as if nothing was the matter。
The least untruthful answer she could frame to the inquiries for Sir
Guy Morville was； that young men were apt to be lazy about balls； and
this sufficed for good…natured Mrs。 Deane； but Maurice poured out many
exclamations about his ill…behaviour； and Philip contented himself with
the mere fact of his not being there； and made no remark。
Laura turned her eyes anxiously on Philip。 They had not met since the
important conversation on Ashen…down； and she found herself looking
with more pride than ever at his tall； noble figure； as if he was more
her own； but the calmness of feeling was gone。 She could not meet his
eye； nor see him turn towards her without a start and tremor for which
she could not render herself a reason； and her heart beat so much that
it was at once a relief and a disappointment that she was obliged to
accept her other cousin as her first partner。 Philip had already asked
Lady Eveleen； for he neither wished to appear too eager in claiming
Laura； nor to let his friend think he had any dislike to the Irish
girl。
Eveleen was much pleased to have him for her partner； and told herself
she would be on her good behaviour。 It was a polka； and there was not
much talk； which； perhaps； was all the better for her。 She admired the
review； and the luncheon； and spoke of Charles without any sauciness；
and Philip was condescending and agreeable。
'I must indulge myself in abusing that stupid cousin of yours！' said
she。 Did you ever know a man of such wonderful crotchets？'
'This is a very unexpected one；' said Philip。
'It came like a thunder clap。 I thought till the last moment he was
joking； for he likes dancing so much； he was the life of our ball； and
how could any one suppose he would fly off at the last moment？'
'He seems rather to enjoy doing things suddenly。'
'I tell Laura she has affronted him；' said Eveleen； laughing。 'She has
been always busy of late when we have wanted her； and I assure her his
pride has been piqued。 Don't you think that is an explanation； Captain
Morville？'
It was Captain Morvilles belief； but he would not say so。
'Isn't Laura looking lovely？' Eveleen went on。 'I am sure she is the
beauty of the night！' She was pleased to see Captain Morville's
attention gained。 'She is even better dressed than at our ballthose
Venetian pins suit the form of her head so well。 Her beauty is better
than almost any one's； because she has so much countenance。'
'True；' said Philip。
'How proud Maurice looks of having her on his arm。 Does not he？ Poor
Maurice！ he is desperately in love with her！'
'As is shown by his pining melancholy。'
Eveleen laughed with her clear hearty laugh。 'I see you know what we
mean by being desperately in love！ No；' she added more gravely； 'I am
very glad it is only _that_ kind of desperation。 One could not think
of Maurice and Laura together。 He does not know the best part of
Laura。'
Eveleen was highly flattered by Captain Morville conducting her a
second time round the room； instead of at once restoring her to her
aunt。
He secured Laura next； and leading her away from her own party； said；
'Laura； have yon been overdoing it？'
'It is not that；' said Laura； wishing she could keep from blushing。
'It is th