MABEL'S PROGRESS.

BY THE AUTHOR OF "AUNT MARGARET'S TROUBLE."

BOOK IV.

CHAPTER V. THE PRINCESS PUTS MORE COTTON
IN HER EARS.

OLD Lady Popham, never very reticent in her
speech, was especially confidential with Geraldine
O'Brien; and the latter had not been very
long in Dublin before her godmother had told
her the whole story of Clement Charlewood's
visit to Cloncoolin, and of his strong disapproval
of the idea of a marriage between the pretty
"Ophelia" and Alfred Trescott.

"I heard he had been to see you, fairy
godmother," said Geraldine.

"Oh, you did? Well now, wasn't it an odd
proceeding, child? Not his coming to see me.
That, under the circumstances, was quite
natural, and I'm sure I was charmed, and all that
kind of thing. But the extraordinary motive of
his visit — for he told me with refreshing
candour that he had not made the journey to
Cloncoolin on my account! I declare, I thought at
first that the man was in love with 'Ophelia'
himself. But he denied it when I asked him,
point blank."

It may be remarked, in passing, that this was
one of those inaccuracies to which Lady Popham
in her impulsiveness was liable. Clement, in his
conversation with her, had merely asserted that
he was not engaged to Miss Bell.

Miss O'Brien looked up with a bright blush
on her cheek: "Did he, fairy godmother?"

"Yes, indeed he did. So I could only attribute
his interference to a much less excusable
motive — enmity to young Trescott. I don't like
stabbing people in the back. Why should he
try to injure the young fellow with me?"

"I'm quite sure that Cle —— , that Mr. Charlewood
would stab no one in the back, my lady,"
said Geraldine, indignantly.

"Andiamo, andiamo, signorina mia! But I
tell you he did it. Yes; he did it. Told me all
sorts of bad things about Alfred. And why
should he interfere? If he isn't in love with
Miss What's-her-name himself, his motive must
have been hatred to young Trescott, as I said."

"He may have a friendly interest in the
young lady, godmamma."

"Friendly fiddlestick! A young man of his
age don't act Mentor to a pretty girl like Miss
Thingammy from friendly interest. Che! che!
I have lived seventy years in this queer world,
Geraldina mia, and I've seen a good many queer
things in it, but I never saw that yet!
Besides," added the old lady, fanning herself
violently, as she was wont to do when excited,
"besides, even granting his friendly interest, for
the sake of argument, there can be no good
reason why he should object to his friend's
marrying Alfred Trescott. It would be a highly
suitable match."

"It seems so, certainly, so far as we know."

"As far as we know! Why, of course, I
know all about it. Alfred is a genius — a genius,
I tell you. And the girl, too, is very clever and
charming, and likely to do well. Both young,
both ambitious, both artists; it is perfect!
quite perfect!" said Lady Popham, working
herself up into one of her accustomed fits of
enthusiasm.

"Yes," replied Miss O'Brien, thoughtfully;
"Mr. Alfred Trescott is very clever, no doubt;
but I'm not at all sure that I should like my —
my sister, for example, to entrust her happiness
to his keeping."

"Your sister!" cried my lady, stopping short
in a quick restless promenade up and down the
long drawing-room. "Your sister! Ah, ce serait
tout autre chose!"

Geraldine made no answer, but she thought
within herself that Clement Charlewood would
probably refuse to admit the existence of any
such wide and necessary distinction between his
friend Miss Bell and Miss O'Brien's hypothetical
sister. There had been, for some time, a
desire growing in Geraldine's mind to make the
personal acquaintance of this girl, the mention
of whose name had caused such commotion at
Bramley Manor; and Carlo Bensa's visit to
Merrion-square furnished her with the link
necessary for her purpose. Lady Popham had
never been accustomed to put any restraint
upon the promptings of her curiosity with
regard to the private history of her artistic
protégés; and Signor Bensa's Italian nature was
rather flattered than offended by the lively
interest manifested by "miladi" in his family
affairs. He could understand reserve and
concealment upon points which he had an interest
in keeping secret; but the idea of a reticence
which had for its object merely the avoidance
of a too easy familiarity with persons for whom