Every word of this was said by Florence as though with the purpose of provoking her mother; and so did Mrs. Mountjoy feel it.  But behind this purpose there was that other fixed resolution to get Harry at last accepted as her husband, and perhaps the means taken were the best.  Mrs Mountjoy was already beginning to feel that there would be nothing for her but to give up the battle, and to open her motherly arms to Harry Annesley.  Sir Magnus had told her that M. Grascour would probably prevail.  M. Grascour was said to be exactly the man likely to be effective with such a girl as Florence.  That had been the last opinion expressed by Sir Magnus.  But Mrs. Mountjoy had found no comfort in it.  Florence was going to have her own way.  Her mother knew that it was so, and was very unhappy.  But she was still anxious to continue a weak, ineffective battle.  “It was very impertinent of him writing,” she said.

“When he was going to America for years!  Dear mamma, do put yourself in my place.  How was it possible that he should not write?”

“A young man has no business to come and insinuate himself into a family in that way; and then, when he knows he is not welcome, to open a correspondence.”

“But, mamma, he knows that he is welcome.  If he had gone to America without writing to me—­Oh, it would have been impossible!  I should have gone after him.”

“No,—­no;—­never!”

“I am quite in earnest, mamma.  But it is no good talking about what could not have taken place.”

“We ought to have prevented you from receiving or sending letters.”  Here Mrs. Mountjoy touched on a subject on which the practice of the English world has been much altered during the last thirty or forty years;—­perhaps we may say fifty or sixty years.  Fifty years ago young ladies were certainly not allowed to receive letters as they chose, and to write them, and to demand that this practice should be carried on without any supervision from their elder friends.  It is now usually the case that they do so.  A young lady, before she falls into a correspondence with a young man, is expected to let it be understood that she does so.  But she does not expect that his letters, either coming or going, shall be subject to any espial, and she generally feels that the option of obeying or disobeying the instructions given to her rests with herself.  Practically the use of the post-office is in her own hands.  And, as this spirit of self-conduct has grown up, the morals and habits of our young ladies have certainly not deteriorated.  In America they carry latch-keys, and walk about with young gentlemen as young gentlemen walk about with each other.  In America the young ladies are as well-behaved as with us,—­as well-behaved as they are in some Continental countries in which they are still watched close till they are given up as brides to husbands with whom they have had no means of becoming acquainted.  Whether the latch-key system, or that