“You would make many old maids, sister.”

“I doubt it greatly, brother; it would rather bring female society in demand.  I often regret that selfishness, cupidity, and the kind of strife which prevails in our sex, on the road to matrimony, have brought celibacy into disrepute.  For my part, I never see an old maid, but I am willing to think she is so from choice or principle, and although not in her proper place, serviceable, by keeping alive feelings necessary to exist, that marriages may not become curses instead of blessings.”

“A kind of Eddystone, to prevent matrimonial shipwrecks,” said the brother, gayly.

“Their lot may be solitary, baronet, and in some measure cheerless, but infinitely preferable to a marriage that may lead them astray from their duties, or give birth to a family which are to be turned on the world—­without any religion but form—­without any morals but truisms—­or without even a conscience which has not been seared by indulgence.  I hope that Anne, in the performance of her system, will have no cause to regret its failure.”

“Clara chose for herself, and has done well, Charlotte; and so, I doubt not, will Jane and Emily:  and I confess I think their mother is right.”

“It is true,” said Mrs. Wilson, “Clara has done well, though under circumstances of but little risk; she might have jumped into your fish-pond, and escaped with life, but the chances are she would drown:  nor do I dispute the right of the girls to choose for themselves; but I say the rights extend to requiring us to qualify them to make their choice.  I am sorry, Edward, to be the instigator of doubts in your breast of the worth of any one, especially as it may give you pain.”  Here Mrs. Wilson took her brother affectionately by the hand, and communicated what she had overheard that evening.  Although the impressions of the baronet were not as vivid, or as deep as those of his sister, his parental love was too great not to make him extremely uneasy under the intelligence and after thanking her for her attention to his children’s welfare, he kissed her, and withdrew.  In passing to his own room, he met Egerton, that moment returned from escorting Jarvis ladies to their lodgings; a task he had undertaken at the request of Jane, as they were without any male attendant.  Sir Edward’s heart was too full not to seek immediate relief, and as he had strong hopes of the innocence of the colonel, though he could give no reason for his expectation, he returned with him to the parlor, and in a few words acquainted him with the slanders which had been circulated at his expense; begging him by all means to disprove them as soon as possible.  The colonel was struck with the circumstance at first, but assured Sir Edward, it was entirely untrue.  He never played, as he might have noticed, and that Mr. Holt was an ancient enemy of his.  He would in She morning take measures to convince Sir Edward, that he stood higher in the estimation of his uncle, than Mr. Holt had thought proper to state.  Much relieved by this explanation, the baronet, forgetting that this heavy charge removed, he only stood where he did before he took time for his inquiries, assured him, that if he could convince him, or rather his sister, he did not gamble, he would receive him as a son-in-law with pleasure.  The gentlemen shook hands and parted.