"And now, Alicia, shall I write an answer as affirmative as suits the dignity of our house?"
Alicia said nothing, and looked less.
"We will spare her confusion," said the Countess.
"You may retire," said the Earl.
Lady Alicia was as much bewildered as it was in her nature to be; but she made up her mind to ask her mother what they wanted with her in the library, and seated herself to cut out another little poodle.
The dinner-bell rang, and Lady Etheringhame entered.
"Alicia, my love, wear your turquoise set to-day: of course, I should wish you to appear to advantage on Mr. Delawarr's first visit."
It was as if all the astonishment of her life was to be crowded into one day; for on retiring to her toilette, her handmaiden, the very reverse of her mistress, extremes meet (vide Lara and Jaqueline), by dint of compliments and insinuations, succeeded at length in drawing from her something like a question; and with all her father's eloquence and mother's anxiety, Alicia only now began to suspect a husband in the case, and that the library audi-
