only unwise step that clever woman had ever
taken to his knowledge (the only time she
ever acted against his advice, I knew).
However, if anything had gone wrong, of course I
was not to think of leaving Miss Matey while
I could be of any use, &c.

"Who is your letter from, my dear?
Mine is a very civil invitation signed Edwin
Wilson, asking me to attend an important
meeting of the shareholders of the Town and
County Bank, to be held in Drumble, on
Thursday the twenty-first. I am sure it is
very attentive of them to remember me."

I did not like to hear of this " important
meeting," for though I did not know much
about business, I feared it confirmed what my
father said; however, I thought ill news
always came fast enough, so I resolved to say
nothing about my alarm, and merely told her
that my father was well, and sent his kind
regards to her. She kept turning over, and
admiring her letter.

"I remember their sending one to Deborah
just like this, but that I did not wonder at,
for everybody knew she was so clear-headed.
I am afraid I could not help them much;
indeed, if they came to accounts I should be
quite in the way, for I never could do sums
in my head. Deborah, I know, rather wished
to go, and went so far as to order a new
bonnet for the occasion; but when the time came
she had a bad cold; so they sent her a very
polite account of what they had done. Chosen
a Director, I think it was. Do you think
they want me to help them to choose a
Director? I am sure I should choose your
father at once."

"My father has no shares in the Bank,"
said I.

"Oh, no! I remember! He objected very
much to Deborah's buying any, I believe.
But she was quite the woman of business, and
always judged for herself, and here, you see,
they have paid eight per cent, all these years."

It was a very uncomfortable subject to me
with my half-knowledge; so I thought I
would change the conversation, and I asked
at what time she thought we had better go
and see the fashions. " Well, my dear," she
said, " the thing is this; it is not etiquette to
go till after twelve, but then, you see, all
Cranford will be there, and one does not like
to be too curious about dress and trimmings
and caps, with all the world looking on. It
is never genteel to be over-curious on these
occasions; Deborah had the knack of always
looking as if the latest fashion was nothing
new to her; a manner she had caught from
Lady Arley, who did see all the new modes
in London, you know. So I thought we
would just slip down this morning soon after
breakfast; for I do want half a pound of tea;
and then we could go up and examine the
things at our leisure, and see exactly how my
new silk gown must be made; and then, after
twelve, we could go with our minds disengaged,
and free from thoughts of dress."

We began to talk of Miss Matey's new silk
gown; I discovered that it would be really
the first time in her life that she had had to
choose anything of consequence for herself;
for Miss Jenkyns had always been the more
decided character, whatever her taste might
have been; and it is astonishing how such
people carry the world before them by the
mere force of will. Miss Matey anticipated
the sight of the glossy folds with as much
delight as if the five sovereigns set apart for
the purchase could buy all the silks in the
shop; and (remembering my own loss of
two hours in a toy-shop before I could tell
on what wonder to spend a silver threepence)
I was very glad that we were going early,
that dear Miss Matey might have leisure for
the delights of perplexity.

If a happy sea-green could be met with, the
gown was to be sea-green; if not, she inclined
to maize, and I to silver grey; and we
discussed the requisite number of breadths until
we arrived at the shop-door. We were to
buy the tea, select the silk, and then clamber
up the iron corkscrew stairs that led into what
was once a loft, though now a fashion show-
room.

The young men at Mr. Johnson's had on,
their best looks, and their best cravats, and
pivotted themselves over the counter with
surprising activity. They wanted to show us
upstairs at once, but on the principle of
business first and pleasure afterwards, we
stayed to purchase the tea. Here Miss
Matey's absence of mind betrayed itself. If
she was made aware that she had been drinking
green tea at any time, she always thought
it her duty to lie awake half through the
night afterward; (I have known her take it
in ignorance many a time without such
effects), and consequently green tea was
prohibited the house; yet to-day she herself
asked for the obnoxious article, under the
impression that she was talking about the
silk. However, the mistake was soon rectified;
and then the silks were unrolled in
good truth. By this time the shop was
pretty well filled, for it was Crauford market-
day, and many of the farmers and country
people from the neighbourhood round came
in, sleeking down their hair, and glancing
shyly about from under their eyelids, as
anxious to take back some notion of the
unusual gaiety to the mistress or the lasses at
home, and yet feeling that they were out of
place among the smart shopmen and gay
shawls, and summer prints. One honest-
looking man, however, made his way up to
the counter at which we stood, and boldly
asked to look at a shawl or two. The
other country folk confined themselves to the
grocery side; but our neighbour was evidently
too full of some kind intention towards
mistress, wife, or daughter, to be shy; and it
soon became a question with me, whether he
or Miss Matey would keep their shopman the
longest time. He thought each shawl more