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CHAPTER VII.

THE girls during the evening were making rapid advances towards an intimacy with the interesting Emily; and Miss Seymour was much amused by Florence's account of the eager anxiety with which she had determined from the first to identify her with the Emily of her youthful acquaintance.

"I am afraid," said Florence, "you must have thought me very rude in the way in which I questioned you?"

"No, far from rude, but a little abrupt, perhaps it was not so much what you said, as your manner of saying it; you seemed to me so timid, and yet so anxious to speak, and also so resolved on having an answer; and I did certainly think that pet birds had some

mysterious influence over you, you spoke of them with such extreme agitation."

"Yes," said Florence, "you know so much depended on my being able to ascertain that fact as to your having a pet lark; if you had said you had had a pet canary, I should have gone wild, I do believe."

"But what could have put all this into your imagination at first ?" inquired Miss Seymour. "I can understand your going on with great spirit after the idea had once seized you, but how came you to think of such a thing?"

"Why I don't know," answered Florence; "it first struck me, when your brother came into the cabin, and addressed you on the sofa, and every moment the idea became more and more confirmed. If you ask Mary, I am afraid she will tell you that my imagination does sometimes run away with me."

"Yes, sometimes; but I cannot regret it. at this moment, Florence, when it has led to such pleasant consequences."

"Yes," observed Miss Seymour, "and most particularly pleasant for me. Charles is

the kindest brother in the world, always ready to enter into my feelings, and to assist me in my pursuits; but he is often absent, and even when at home, he has of course many occupations in which I cannot join. I cannot help often wishing I had a sister, or an intimate friend: this wish is at all times pretty strong, but it comes sadly upon me about the twelfth of August. I cannot get Charles to talk of anything then but dogs and guns, and he is sure to set off for Scotland on some shooting expedition, and to leave me alone, saying to myself a hundred times a day, 'Oh for a sister who would not be always running away from me, and to whom the twelfth of August would be but as any other day.'"

"I can easily enter into your feelings," said Florence; "how I should dislike to see Mary bustling away on the twelfth of August with a gun over her shoulder and whistling to her dogs! Poor Mary, she is looking quite pale at the very idea of killing a bird, she that never killed a midge in her life without begging its pardon."

"Oh Florence! how can you run on in

this way,-Miss Seymour will think you quite foolish."

"No, indeed, I delight in hearing you both speak. What a happy, happy party you seem altogether! You cannot think how much it strikes me; every one seems so interesting in a different way. What a dear little fellow your brother is, singing his little songs, and so droll and merry all day long; how fond your mamma seems of him; how fond indeed of you all! You might think it flattery, perhaps, were I to say all I think of her.” "No, indeed, we should not!" exclaimed both the girls. "You can never say too

much of dear mamma."

"I can easily believe it; I do not think I ever saw a more angelic expression in any face; and her voice is so gentle and sweet, particularly when she addresses any of you, I cannot suppose she ever could be angry."

"She never is !" exclaimed Florence, eagerly. "She never is angry, though sometimes she has cause to be so with me; but she only talks gravely to me when I am in the wrong, and seems so sorrowful, that it

goes to my very heart to displease her. But you do not say what you think of papa; don't you like him also ?"

Miss Seymour hesitated: "I think I should like Mr. Percy very much if I knew him well, but I am a little afraid of him: he has a very bright eye. I like its bright expression, and yet it frightens me; I should be quite ashamed to say anything foolish before him."

"Oh! indeed, you need not; I talk a great deal of nonsense very often, and say out every thing I think, and he likes it: he is very droll himself; he often makes us laugh so much. But there is another person you have not mentioned; I am sure you cannot be afraid of him; and if you do not praise him I shall be so sorry; but it is impossible for any one, I should think, to see Mr. Maitland and not love him."

"You mean the blind old gentleman who sat next you at dinner. Oh, indeed, I do not wonder at your love for him, for he seems a most interesting person, so gentle and yet so lively and affectionate; how very fond he seems of you all! Is he nearly related to you?"