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first knew Laura and Amy； the idea of criticising beauty had not
entered his mind； and to compare them was quite a new notion。 'Nay；'
said he at last； 'if you cannot discover for yourselves when they are
both before your eyes； I will do nothing so invidious as to say which
is _the_ pretty one。 I'll tell which is the eldest and which the
youngest； but the rest you must decide for yourself。'
'I should like to know them；' said Miss Alston。 'Oh！ they are both very
nice…looking girls。'
'There； that is LauraMiss Edmonstone；' said Guy； 'that tall young
lady； with the beautiful hair and jessamine wreath。'
He spoke as if he was proud of her； and had a property in her。 The
tone did not escape Philip； who at that moment was close to them； with
Amy on his arm； and； knowing the Alstons slightly； stopped and spoke；
and introduced his cousin； Miss Amabel Edmonstone。 At the same time
Guy took one of the Miss Alstons away to get some tea。
'So you knew my cousin at Oxford？' said Philip； to the brother。
'Yes； slightly。 What an amusing fellow he is！'
'There is something very bright； very unlike other people about him；'
said Miss Alston。
'How does he get on？ Is he liked？'
'Why； yes； I should say so； on the whole； but it is rather as my sister
says； he is not like other people。'
'In what respect？'
'Oh I can hardly tell。 He is a very pleasant person； but he ought to
have been at school。 He is a man of crotchets。'
'Hard…working？'
'Very； he makes everything give way to that。 He is a capital companion
when he is to be had； but he lives very much to himself。 He is a man
of one friend； and I don't see much of him。'
Another dance began； Mr。 Alston went to look for his partner； Philip
and Amy moved on in search of ice。 'Hum！' said Philip to himself；
causing Amy to gaze up at him； but he was musing too intently for her
to venture on a remark。 She was thinking that she did not wonder that
strangers deemed Guy crotchety； since he was so difficult to
understand； and then she considered whether to take him to see King
Charles； in the library； and concluded that she would wait； for she
felt as if the martyr king's face would look on her too gravely to suit
her present tone。
Philip helped her to ice； and brought her back to her mother's
neighbourhood without many more words。 He then stood thoughtful for
some time； entered into conversation with one of the elder gentlemen；
and； when that was interrupted； turned to talk to his aunt。
Lady Eveleen and her two cousins were for a moment together。 'What is
the matter； Eva？' said Amy； seeing a sort of dissatisfaction on her
bright face。
'The roc's egg？' said Laura； smiling。 'The queen of the evening can't
be content'
'No； you are the queen； if the one thing can make you sothe one thing
wanting to me。'
'How absurd you are； Evawhen you say you are so afraid of him； too。'
'That is the very reason。 I should get a better opinion of myself！
Besides； there is nobody else so handsome。 I declare I'll make a bold
attempt。'
'Oh！ you don't think of such a thing；' cried Laura； very much shocked。
'Never fear；' said Eveleen； 'faint heart； you know。' And with a nod； a
flourish； of her bouquet； and an arch smile at her cousin's horror； she
moved on； and presently they heard her exclaiming； gaily； 'Captain
Morville； I really must scold you。 You are setting a shocking example
of laziness！ Aunt Edmonstone； how can you encourage such proceedings！
Indolence is the parent of vice； you know。'
Philip smiled just as much as the occasion required； and answered； 'I
beg your pardon； I had forgotten my duty。 I'll attend to my business
better in future。' And turning to a small； shy damsel； who seldom met
with a partner； he asked her to dance。 Eveleen came back to Laura with
a droll disappointed gesture。 'Insult to injury；' said she；
disconsolately。
'Of course；' said Amy； 'he could not have thought you wanted to dance
with him； or you would not have gone to stir him up。'
'Well； then； he was very obtuse。'
'Besides； you are engaged。'
'0 yes； to Mr。 Thorndale！ But who would be content with the squire
when the knight disdains her？'
Mr。 Thorndale came to claim Eveleen at that moment。 It was the second
time she had danced with him； and it did not pass unobserved by Philip；
nor the long walk up and down after the dance was over。 At length his
friend came up to him and said something warm in admiration of her。
'She is very Irish；' was Philip's answer； with a cold smile； and Mr。
Thorndale stood uncomfortable under the disapprobation； attracted by
Eveleen's beauty and grace； yet so unused to trust his own judgment
apart from 'Morville's；' as to be in an instant doubtful whether he
really admired or not。
'You have not been dancing with her？' he said； presently。
'No： she attracts too many to need the attention of a nobody like
myself。'
That 'too many；' seeming to confound him with the vulgar herd； made Mr。
Thorndale heartily ashamed of having been pleased with her。
Philip was easy about him for the present； satisfied that admiration
had been checked； which； if it had been allowed to grow into an
attachment； would have been very undesirable。
The suspicions Charles had excited were so full in Philip's mind；
however； that he could not as easily set it at rest respecting his
cousin。 Guy had three times asked her to dance； but each time she had
been engaged。 At last； just as the clock struck the hour at which the
carriage had been ordered； he came up； and impetuously claimed her。
'One quadrille we must have； Laura； if you are not tired？'
'No！ Oh； no！ I could dance till this time to…morrow。'
'We ought to be going；' said Mrs。 Edmonstone。
'0 pray； Mrs。 Edmonstone； this one more；' cried Guy； eagerly。 'Laura
owes me this one。'
'Yes； this one more； mamma；' said Laura； and they went off together；
while Philip remained； in a reverie； till requested by his aunt to see
if the carriage was ready。
The dance was over； the carriage was waiting； but Guy and Laura did not
appear till； after two or three minutes spent in wonder and inquiries；
they came quietly walking back from the library； where they had been
looking at King Charles。
All the way home the four ladies in the carriage never ceased laughing
and talking。 The three gentlemen in theirs acted diversely。 Mr。
Edmonstone went to sleep； Philip sat in silent thought； Guy whistled
and hummed the tunes； and moved his foot very much as if he was still
dancing。
They met for a moment； and parted again in the hall at Hollywell； where
the daylight was striving to get in through the closed shutters。
Philip went on to Broadstone； Guy said he could not go to bed by
daylight； called Bustle； and went to the river to bathe； and the rest
crep