I  am  so  sorry."

"Then  your  pretended  aversion  to  marriage  was  all
hypocrisy  —  was  it  ?  "

Lucy  informed  her  that  marriage  was  a  contract,  and
the  contracting  parties  two,  and  no  more — the  bride  and
bridegroom ;  and  that  to  sign  a  contract  without  reading
it  is  silly,  and  meaning  not  to  keep  it  is  wicked.  "  So,"
said  she,  "  I  read  the  contract  over  in  the  prayer-book
this  morning,  for  fear  of  accidents."

My  reader  may,  perhaps,  be  amused  at  this  admission ;
but  Mrs.  Bazalgette  was  disgusted,  and  inquired,  "  What
stuff  is  the  girl  talking  now  ?  "

"  It  is  called  common  sense.  Well,  I  find  the  contract
is  one  I  can  carry  out  with  Mr.  Dodd,  and  with  nobody
else.  I  can  love  him  a  little;  can  honor  him  a  great
deal;  and  obey  him  entirely.  I  begin  now.  There  he
is  ;  and  if  you  feel  you  cannot  show  him  the  courtesy  of
making  him  one  in  our  conversation,  permit  me  to  retire
and  relieve  his  solitude."

"Mighty  fine;  and  if  you  don't  instantly  leave  him
and  come  home,  you  shall  never  enter  my  house  again."

"  Unless  sickness  or  trouble  should  visit  your  house  ;
and  then  you  will  send  for  me  and  I  shall  come."

Mrs.  Bazalgette  (to  the  coachman).     "  Home."

Lucy  made  her  a  polite  obeisance,  to  keep  up  appear-
ances before  the  servants  and  the  farm  people,  who  were
gaping.  She,  whose  breeding  was  inferior,  flounced  into
a  comer  without  returning  it.     The  carriage  drove  off.
