'I particularly wish you to be one of Augusta's bridesmaids.'
'And I particularly wish to decline the honour; which honour has not been, and will not be, offered to me. No, Trichy I will not be Augusta's bridesmaid, but—but—but—'
'But what, dearest?'
'But, Trichy, when some one else is married, when the new wing has been built to a house that you know of—'
'Now, Mary, hold your tongue, or you know you'll make me angry.'
'I do so like to see you angry. And when that time comes, when that wedding does take place, then I will be a bridesmaid, Trichy. Yes! even though I am not invited. Yes! though all the De Courcys in Barsetshire should tread upon me and obliterate me. Though I should be as dust among the stars, though I should creep up in calico among their satins and lace, I will nevertheless be there; close, close to the bride; to hold something for her, to touch her dress, to feel that I am near her, to—to—to—' and she threw her arms round her companion, and kissed her over and over again. 'No, Trichy; I won't be Augusta's bridesmaid; I'll bide my time for bridesmaiding.'
What protestations Beatrice made against the probability of such an event as was foreshadowed in her friend's promise we will not now repeat. The afternoon was advancing, and the ladies also had to dress for dinner, to do honour to the young heir.
CHAPTER V.
FRANK GRESHAM'S FIRST SPEECH.
We have said, that over and above those assembled in the house, there came to the Greshamsbury dinner on Frank's birthday the Jacksons of the Grange, consisting of Mr. and Mrs. Jackson; the Batesons from Annesgrove, viz., Mr. and Mrs. Bateson, and Miss Bateson, their daughter—an unmarried lady of about fifty; the Bakers of Mill Hill, father and son; and Mr. Caleb Oriel, the Rector, with his beautiful sister, Patience. Dr. Thorne, and his niece Mary, we count among those already assembled at Greshamsbury.
There was nothing very magnificent in the number of the guests thus brought together to do honour to young Frank; but he, perhaps, was called on to take a more prominent part in the proceedings, to be made more of a hero than would have been the case had half the county been there. In that case the import-
