Ravenshoe. By Henry Kingsley.

66 RAVENSHOE.
and caused him to await her pleasure with no small amount of
trepidation.
Her ladyship began by remarking that digitalis was invaluable
for palpitation, and that she had also found camomile, combined
with gentle purgatives, efficient for the same thing, when suspected to proceed fiom stomach. She opined that, if this weather
continued, there would be heavy ruinning for the Cambridgeshire,
and Commissioner would probably stand as well as any horse.
And then, having, like a pigeon, taken a few airy circles through
stable-management, theology, and agriculture, she descended on
her subject, and frightened Charles out of his five wits, by asking
him if he did n't think Adelaide a very nice girl.
Charles decidedly thought she was a very nice girl; but he
rather hesitated, and said, -" Yes, that she was charming."
"Now, tell me, my dear," said Lady Ascot, manoeuvring a
great old fan, "for young eyes are quicker than old ones. Did
you ever remark anything between her and Welter?"
Charles caught up one of his legs, and exclaimed, " The
Devil i"
"What a shocking expression, my dear! Well, I agree with
you. I fancy I have noticed that they entertained a decided
preference for one another. Of course, Welter will be throwing
himself away, and all that sort of thing, but he is pretty sure to
do that. I expect every time he comes home, that he will bring
a wife from behind the bar of a public-house. Now Adelaide "
"Aunt! Lady Ascot! Surely you are under a mistake. I
never saw anything between them."
"H'm."
" I assure you I never did. I never heard Welter speak of
her in that sort of way, and I don't think she cares for him."
"What reason have you for thinking that? "
"Well — why, you know it's hard to say. The fact is, I
have rather a partiality for Adelaide myself, and I have watched
her in the presence of other men."
" Oho! Do you think she cares for you? Do you know she
won't have a sixpence? "
" We shall have enough to last till next year, aunt; and then
the world is to come to an end, you know, and we sha'n't want
anything."
" Never you mind about the world, sir. Don't you be flippant
and impertinent, sir. Don't evade my question, sir. Do you
think Adelaide cares for you, sir?"
Charles looked steadily and defiantly at his aunt, and asked
her whether she did n't think it was very difficult to find out what
a girl's mind really was, - whereby we may conclude that he was
profiting by Lord Saltire's lesson on the command of feature.