comparison with his fine and generous
sentiments, no more than I could make as good a
figure in the pulpit, as he could. But, perhaps,
as a mere man of the world, I am his equal;
though there are little significant hints in that
very letter that show the old parson is very
wide awake."

"I never detected them," said she, curtly.

"Perhaps not, but rely upon one thing. It
was not such a letter as he would have addressed
to a man. If I, for instance, had been the guardian
instead of you, the whole tone of the epistle
would have been very different."

"Do you think so?"

"Think so! I know it. I had not read ten
lines till I said to myself, 'This was meant for
very different eyes from mine.'"

"If I thought that—"

"Go on," said he; "finish, and let me hear
what you would say or do, when arrived at the
conclusion I have come to."

So far, however, from having come to any
decision, she really did not see in the remotest
distance anything to guide her to one.

"What would you advise me to do, Mr.
Calvert?" said she, at last, and after a pause of
some time.

"Refer him to me; say the point is too
difficult for you; that while your feelings for your
niece might overbear all other considerations,
those very feelings might be the sources of error
to you. You might, for instance, concede too
much to the claim of affection; or, on the other
hand, be too regardful of the mere worldly
consideration. Not that, on second thoughts, I'd
enter upon this to him. I'd simply say a friend
in whom I repose the fullest confidence, has
consented to represent me in this difficult matter.
Not swayed as I am by the claims of affection,
he will be able to give a calmer and more
dispassionate judgment than I could. Write to
Mr. Calvert, therefore, who is now here, and
say what the mere business aspect of the matter
suggests to you to urge. Write to him frankly,
as to one who already is known to your son, and
has lived on terms of intimacy with him. His
reply will be mine."

"Is not that a very cold and repelling answer
to the good vicar's letter?"

"I think not, and I suspect it will have one
good effect. The parson's style will become
natural at once, and you'll see in what a very
different fashion he'll write when the letter is
addressed to me."

"What will Florence say?"

"Nothing, if she knows nothing. And, of
course, if you intend to take her into your
counsels, you must please to omit me. I'm not
going to legislate for a young lady's future with
herself to vote in the division!"

"But what's to become of me, if you go away
in the middle of the negotiation, and leave me
to finish it?"

"I'll not do so. I'll pledge my word to see
you through it. It will be far shorter than you
suspect. The vicar will not play out his hand
when he sees his adversary. You have nothing
to do but write as I have told you; leave the
rest to me."

"Florence is sure to ask me what the vicar
has written; she knows that I have had his
letter."

"Tell her it is a purely business letter; that
his son having been offered a colonial appointment,
he wishes to ascertain what your fortune
is, and how circumstanced, before pledging
himself further. Shock her a little about
their worldliness, and leave the remainder to
time."

"But Joseph will write to her meanwhile,
and disabuse her of this."

"Not completely. She'll be annoyed that the
news of the colonial place did not come first
from himself; she'll be piqued into something not
very far from distrust; she'll show some vexation
when she writes; but don't play the game
before the cards are dealt. Wait, as I say—–wait
and see. Meanwhile, give me the vicar's note,
for I dread your showing it to Florry, and if
she asks for it, say you sent it to Henderson—
isn't that your lawyer's name?—in London, and
told him to supply you with the means of
replying to it."

Like a fly in a cobweb, Miss Grainger saw
herself entangled wherever she turned, and
though perhaps in her secret heart she regretted
having ever called Calvert to her counsels, the
thing was now done, and could not be undone.

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