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midst； as Laura replied； 'It was just what parties always are。'
'Come； let us have the history。 Who handed who in to dinner？ I hope
Guy had Mrs。 Brownlow。'
'Oh no；' said Laura； we had both the honourables。'
'Not Philip！'
'No；' said Guy； 'the fidus Achetes was without his pious Aeneas。'
'Very good； Guy；' said Charles； enjoying the laugh。
'I could not help thinking of it；' said Guy； rather apologising； 'when
I was watching Thorndale's manner； it is such an imitation of Philip；
looking droller； I think； in his absence； than in his presence。 I
wonder if he is conscious of it。'
'It does not suit him at all；' said Mrs。 Edmonstone； because he has no
natural dignity。'
'A man ought to be six foot one； person and mind； to suit with that
grand； sedate； gracious way of Philip's；' said Guy。
'There's Guy's measure of Philip's intellect；' said Charles； 'just six
foot one inch。'
'As much more than other people's twice his height；' said Guy。
'Who was your neighbour； Laura？' asked Amy。
'Dr。 Mayerne； I was very glad of him； to keep off those hunting friends
of Mr。 Brownlow； who never ask anything but if one has been to the
races； and if one likes balls。'
'And how did Mrs。 Brownlow behave？' said Charles。
'She is a wonderful woman；' said Mrs。 Edmonstone； in her quiet way； and
Guy with an expression between drollery and simplicity； said； 'Then
there aren't many like her。'
'I hope not；' said Mrs。 Edmonstone。
'Is she really a lady？'
'Philip commonly calls her 〃that woman；〃' said Charles。 'He has never
got over her one night classing him with his 〃young man〃 and myself； as
three of the shyest monkeys she ever came across。'
'She won't say so of Maurice；' said Laura； as they recovered the laugh。
'I heard her deluding some young lady by saying he was the eldest son；'
said Mrs。 Edmonstone。
'Mamma！' cried Amy； 'could she have thought so？'
'I put in a gentle hint on Lord de Courcy's existence； to which she
answered； in her quick way； 'O ay； I forgot； but then he is the second；
and that's the next thing。'
'If you could but have heard the stories she and Maurice were telling
each other！' said Guy。 'He was playing her off； I believe； for
whatever she told； he capped it with something more wonderful。 Is she
really a lady？'
'By birth；' said Mrs。 Edmonstone。 It is only her high spirits and
small judgment that make her so absurd。'
'How loud she is； too！' said Laura。 'What was all that about horses；
Guy？'
'She was saying she drove two such spirited horses； that all the grooms
were afraid of them； and when she wanted to take out her little boy；
Mr。 Brownlow said 〃You may do as you like my dear； but I won't have my
son's neck broken； whatever you do with your own。〃 So Maurice answered
by declaring he knew a lady who drove not two； but four…in…hand； and
when the leaders turned round and looked her in the face； gave a little
nod； and said； 'I'm obliged for your civility。'
'Oh！ I wish I had heard that；' cried Laura。
'Did you hear her saying she smoked cigars？'
Everyone cried out with horror or laughter。
'Of course； Maurice told a story of a lady who had a cigar case hanging
at her chatelaine； and always took one to refresh her after a ball。'
Guy was interrupted by the announcement of his horse； and rode off at
once to Mr。 Lascelles。
On his return he went straight to the drawing…room； where Mrs。
Edmonstone was reading to Charles； and abruptly exclaimed；
'I told you wrong。 She only said she had smoked one cigar。' Then
perceiving that he was interrupting； he added； 'I beg your pardon；' and
went away。
The next evening； on coming in from a solitary skating； he found the
younger party in the drawing…room； Charles entertaining the Miss
Harpers with the story of the cigars。 He hastily interposed
'I told you it was but one。'
'Ay； tried one； and went on。 She was preparing an order for Havannah。'
'I thought I told you I repeated the conversation incorrectly。'
'If it is not the letter； it is the spirit；' said Charles； vexed at the
interference with his sport of amazing the Miss Harpers with outrageous
stories of Mrs。 Brownlow。
'It is just like her；' said one of them。 'I could believe anything of
Mrs。 Brownlow。'
'You must not believe this；' said Guy； gently。 'I repeated incorrectly
what had better have been forgotten； and I must beg my foolish
exaggeration to go no further。'
Charles became sullenly silent； Guy stood thoughtful； and Laura and
Amabel could not easily sustain the conversation till the visitors took
their leave。
'Here's a pother！' grumbled Charles； as soon as they were gone。
'I beg your pardon for spoiling your story；' said Guy； but it was my
fault； so I was obliged to interfere。'
'Bosh！' said Charles。 'Who cares whether she smoked one or twenty？
She is Mrs。 Brownlow still。'
The point is； what was truth？' said Laura。
'Straining at gnats；' said Charles。
'Little wings？' said Guy； glancing at Amabel。
'Have it your won way；' said Charles； throwing his head back； 'they
must be little souls； indeed that stick at such trash。'
Guy's brows were contracted with vexation； but Laura looked up very
prettily； saying
'Never mind him。 We must all honour you for doing such an unpleasant
thing。'
'You will recommend him favourably to Philip；' growled Charles。
There was no reply； and presently Guy asked whether he would go up to
dress？ Having no other way of showing his displeasure； he refused； and
remained nursing his ill…humour； till he forgot how slight the offence
had been； and worked himself into a sort of insane desirehalf
mischievous； half revengefulto be as provoking as he could in his
turn。
Seldom had he been more contrary； as his old nurse was wont to call it。
No one could please him； and Guy was not allowed to do anything for
him。 Whatever he said was intended to rub on some sore place in Guy's
mind。 His mother and Laura's signs made him worse； for he had the
pleasure of teasing them； also； but Guy endured it all with perfect
temper； and he grew more cross at his failure； yet； from force of
habit； at bed…time； he found himself on the stairs with Guy's arm
supporting him。
'Good night；' said Charles； 'I tried hard to poke up the lion to…night；
but I see it won't do。'
This plea of trying experiments was neither absolutely true nor false；
but it restored Charles to himself； by saving a confession that he had
been out of temper； and enabling him to treat with him wonted
indifference the expostulations of father； mother； and Laura。
Now that the idea of 'poking up the lion' had once occurred； it became
his great occupation to attempt it。 He wanted to see some evidence of
the fiery temper； and it was a new sport to try to rouse it；