She declares that she has never been well since she left the parish." "And what did you say is the name of the present inhabitant of this earthly paradise, the man with whom you have exchanged ?" interrupted the Colonel.
"Fregelius--the Reverend Peter Fregelius." "What an exceedingly odd name! Is he an Englishman ?" "Yes; but I think that his father was a Dane, and he married a Danish lady." "Indeed! Is she living ?" "Oh, no.

She died a great many years ago.

The old gentleman has only one child left--a girl." "What is her name ?" asked someone idly, in a break of the general conversation, so that everybody paused to listen to his reply.
"Stella--Stella Fregelius; a very unusual girl." Then the conversation broke out again with renewed vigour, and all that those at Morris's end of the table could catch were snatches such as: "Wonderful eyes"; "Independent young person"; "Well read and musical"; "Oh, yes! poor as church mice, that's why he accepted my offer." At this point the Doctor began a rather vehement argument with Mr.
Porson as to the advisability of countervailing duties to force foreign nations to abandon the sugar bounties, and no more was heard of Mr.
Tomley and his plans.
On the whole, Mary enjoyed that dinner-party.

Miss Layard, somewhat sore after her first encounter, attempted to retaliate later.
But by this time Mary's argumentative energy had evaporated.

Therefore, adroitly appealing to Mr.Layard to take her part, she retired from the fray till, seeing that it grew acrimonious, for this brother and sister did not love each other, she pretended to hear no more.
"Have you been stopping out all night again and staring at the sea, Morris ?" she inquired; "because I understand it is a habit of yours.