"You see," said she, hesitatingly, "though the squire might be glad to see Jemima married to some Englishman, yet if he asks who and what is this Dr.Riccabocca, how am I to answer him ?" "You should have thought of that before," said Mr.Dale, with unwonted asperity; "and, indeed, if I had ever believed anything serious could come out of what seemed to me so absurd, I should long since have requested you not to interfere in such matters.

Good heavens!" continued the parson, changing colour, "if we should have assisted, underhand as it were, to introduce into the family of a man to whom we owe so much a connection that he would dislike, how base we should be, how ungrateful!" Poor Mrs.Dale was frightened by this speech, and still more by her husband's consternation and displeasure.

To do Mrs.Dale justice, whenever her mild partner was really either grieved or offended, her little temper vanished,--she became as meek as a lamb.

As soon as she recovered the first shock she experienced, she hastened to dissipate the parson's apprehensions.

She assured him that she was convinced that, if the squire disapproved of Riccabocca's pretensions, the Italian would withdraw them at once, and Miss Hazeldean would never know of his proposals.