him with serious thoughts.  Poor, failing, timid, penitent Gilbert was to her a very St. George, and every relic of him was viewed with reverence; she composed a countenance for him from his father’s fine features, and fitted the fragments of his history into an ideal, till Sophy, after being surprised and gratified, began to view Gilbert through a like halo, and to rank him with his twin brother.  Friendship was a new and agreeable phase of life to Sophy, who found a suitable companion in such an open-hearted person, simpler in nature, and fresher than herself, free from English commonplaces, though older and of more standing.  She expanded and brightened wonderfully, and Emily, imagining her a female Gilbert, was devoted to her, and thought her a marvel of learning, depth, goodness, and humility, the more striking for her tinge of grave pensiveness.

‘Why, Albinia,’ said the colonel, ’didn’t I hear that it was your handsome daughter who is married?’

‘Yes, poor Lucy was always called our pretty one.’

’More admired than her sister?  Why, she never could have had a countenance!’

‘Yes,’ said Albinia, highly gratified by the opinion of such a connoisseur.  ’I always told Winifred that Sophy was the beauty, but she has only lately had health or animation to set her off’

’I declare, when we overtook you in the street, she looked a perfect Spanish princess, in her black robes and great shady hat.  You ought always to keep her in black.  Ha!  Emily, what are you smiling at?’

His wife looked up into his face with mischievous shyness in her eyes, as if she wanted him to say what would be a liberty in her.  Somebody else had overtaken the ladies nearly at the same moment, and Albinia exulted in perceiving that the embellishment had been observed by others besides herself.  She did not look so severe but that Fred was encouraged to repeat, ’Only lately had health or animation?  When Irish winds blow this way, I fancy—­But what will the aunts say?’

‘They are not Sophy’s aunts, whatever they are to you.’

‘What will Kendal say? which is more to the purpose.’

’Oh! he saw it first; he will be delighted; but you must not say a word to him, for it can’t come to anything just now.’

Albinia was thus confirmed in her anticipations, and the bridal pair, only wishing everybody to be as happy as themselves, took the matter up with such vivid interest and amusement, that she was rather afraid of a manifestation such as to shock either her husband or the parties themselves; but Fred was too much of a gentleman, and Emily too considerate, for anything perilously marked.  Only she thought Emily need not have been so decided in making room for Ulick next to Sophy, when they were all looking out at the young moon at the conservatory-door that evening.

And then Emily took her husband’s arm, and insisted on going down the garden to be introduced to English nightingales; and though she was told they never had come there in the memory of man, she was bent on doing as she would be done by, and drew him alone the silvered paths, among the black shadows of the trees; and Ulick asked Sophy if she wished to go too.  She looked as if she should like it very much; he fetched a couple of cloaks ont of the hall, put her into one, and ran after Mrs. Ferrars with the other.