offend the most fastidious eye, as Mrs. Palmer observed; a duchess might delight in it; every thing is so clean without, and so good within: such beautiful carpets and rugs to match! such handsome chiffoniers, and elegant books! it does one good to look at them; and Louisa herself, the prettiest thing of all; her bright hair in bands, and altogether such a sweet coiffure! How very lovely she is!"
"And how good!" chimed in Helen; "she understands the necessity for care, and the duties of a wife, and she does so love her husband—you can't think!"
A sneer came over the faces of both ladies, as the word "love" was pronounced; yet each said in her heart, "it is not, in her case, a bad thing to love, seeing she cannot be unmarried now;" but the dowager observed, in a cold tone—
"I beg you will not admire the romantic, young ladies; for, depend upon it, I shall never give way to it. If circumstances induce me to admit your sister and Mr. Penrhyn to visit here occasionally, let it be always understood that, although I may pardon, yet I shall never approve their union; it is one thing to bear a misfortune with fortitude, and another to encourage its repetition."
The poor girls curtseyed, and withdrew to their own cheerless apartments, where alone they could luxuriate in another's happiness—that other, their blooming and beloved Louisa. Whilst thinking or talking over all those little particulars in her situation, which ap-
