They'll all make love to you, Aunt Letty included." It was therefore essential that she should at once tell her mother, and ask her mother's leave.

She had once before confessed a tale of love, and had done so with palpitation of the heart, with trembling of the limbs, and floods of tears.

Then her tale had been received with harsh sternness.

Now she could tell her story without any trembling, with no tears; but it was almost indifferent to her whether her mother was harsh or tender.
"What! has Mr.Fitzgerald gone ?" said the countess, on entering the room.
"Yes, mamma; this half-hour," said Clara, not as yet coming away from the window.
"I did not hear his horse, and imagined he was here still.

I hope he has not thought me terribly uncivil, but I could not well leave what I was doing." To this little make-believe speech Clara did not think it necessary to return any answer.