Staveley, fast asleep certainly; but with a wondrous power of hearing even in her sleep. And yet how was he to talk to his love unless he talked of love? He wished that the judge would help them to converse; he wished that some one else was there; he wished at last that he himself was away. Madeline sat perfectly tranquil stitching a collar. Upon her there was incumbent no duty of doing anything beyond that. But he was in a measure bound to talk. Had he dared to do so he also would have taken up a book; but that he knew to be impossible.
'Your brother will be down to-morrow,' he said at last.
'Yes; he is to go direct to Alston. He will be here in the evening,—to dinner.'
'Ah, yes; I suppose we shall all be late to-morrow.'
'Papa always is late when the assizes are going one,' said Madeline.
'Alston is not very far,' said Felix.
'Only two miles,' she answered.
And during the whole of that long evening the conversation between them did not reach a more interesting pitch than that.
'She must think me an utter fool,' said Felix to himself, as he sad staring at the fire. 'How well her brother would have made the most of such an opportunity!' And then he went to bed, by no means in a good humour with himself.
On the next morning he again met her at breakfast, but on that occasion there was no possible opportunity for private conversation. The judge was all alive, and talked enough for the whole party during the twenty minutes that was allowed to them before they started Alston. 'And now we must be off. We'll say half-past seven for dinner, my dear.' And then they also made their journey to Alston.
CHAPTER XXVI.
SHOWING HOW MISS FURNIVAL TREATED HER LOVERS.
It is a great thing for young ladies to live in a household in which free correspondence by letter is permitted. 'Two for mamma, four for Amelia, three for Fanny, and one for papa.' When the postman has left his budget they should be dealt out in that way, and no more should be said about it,—except what each may choose to say. Papa's letter is about money of course, and interests nobody. Mamma's contain the character of a cook and an invitation to dinner, and as they interest everybody, are public property. But Fanny's letters and Amelia's should be private; and a well-bred
