“Oh! very well,” said Harriett, coldly; “I have a bonnet to wear, though it really is rather shabby; and Mrs. Phillips takes such pains to have everything fresh and fashionable, that I am sadly thrown into the shade.  What a sum of money she contrives to spend every year on herself! but my brother is so exceedingly easy and indulgent, he denies her nothing.  Don’t you think her dreadfully extravagant, Mr. Brandon?  I should be ashamed to spend money as thoughtlessly as she does.  She does not care what she pays for a thing if it takes her fancy.  Now, my bonnet will not cost two-thirds of what hers has done, and it will look quite as pretty, will it not, Alice?”

“A little different in style, but quite as well,” said Elsie.

“You see, Mr. Brandon, that if I have seemed to take a great deal of trouble over my purchases, it has been for some purpose.  One cannot economize without some thought being bestowed upon such things as these.”

Mr. Brandon could not but assent, but the act of politeness COSt him an effort.

“Then you come to dine with us today, to meet this Mr. Hogarth?  Do you know, I have a great curiosity to see him.  His father and papa being such old friends, long ago, gives me quite an interest in him; and the extraordinary story of his succession to his Scotch property is so romantic.  What is he like—­is he presentable?”

“He was quite the rage in Edinburgh when I was there, about the new year—­a reading man, and a man of considerable taste—­just your sort, in fact.  He is a great friend of Miss Melville’s, though I fancy, Miss Alice, that you do not care so much for him.”

“I like him very much indeed, though I was longer in doing him justice than Jane was.  The circumstances of our first introduction were very painful,” said Elsie.

“If he is a friend of your sister’s, that is quite enough for me,” said Harriett.  “I do not think I ever met with any one so congenial to my tastes as Miss Melville is.  Ladies are so superficial nowadays; their education is all for show, and nothing solid or thorough in it.  My dear father was so careful to give us a thoroughly good education.  It is very seldom that we meet with any one so well grounded as Miss Melville is.  It is a good thing for my nieces that Stanley met with her.  Your uncle must have meant that you should teach, Alice.”

“Did Dr. Phillips mean that you should teach?” said Brandon, bluntly.

“No, no, certainly; but Miss Melville has learned so much that is quite valueless except in teaching—­oh! a great many things quite out of the way; but I meant that the groundwork was the same.  Poor Alice! all this odd training was thrown away on you.”

“Not thrown away,” said Brandon, firmly.  “If it were not for Miss Alice’s diffidence she would soon let you know how much she has profited by it.  You should hear Peggy Walker on that subject.”

“I am quite charmed with the estimation in which both you and my brother hold that wonderful woman,” said Miss Harriett, condescendingly.  “Stanley is quite enthusiastic about Peggy.”