A Duet in Paradise

    t outlook doo a boat- little lady in mourning, s are falling over to snap tremely abbreviated face of t, is no otep,  t of t oil-mill and t extensive  triviality in tion  your discernment perceives at once t t ly  Lucy s tant as so ss back, raise   is so very nearly on a level  tle so say, `My scissors, please, if you can renounce t pleasure of persecuting my poor Minny.

    too far over t seems, and  rapped fingers hopelessly.

    `Confound them off for me.

    `Draher hand, says Miss Lucy, roguishly.

    `O but ts my left  left-le touciny tips, epition da capo. Accordingly, c  to his possession again.

    `No, no, said Lucy, sticking t rained t set Minny gro up and beell you some news.

    ` is t? said Step arm over t ting for rait, riking young man of five and ty,  dark-bro   t, ic glance from under al eyebro very important news?

    `Yes, very. Guess.

    `You are going to c, and give afias soaked in a dessertspoonful of cream daily.

    `Quite wrong.

    `ell, t buckram, and you ladies ;trine; ;

    `For sing tle mout is rat to guess my ne is about sometioned to you not very long ago.

    `But you ioned many to me not long ago. Does your feminine tyranny require t ely by t mark?

    `Yes, I knohink I am silly.

    `I tly charming.

    `And my silliness is part of my charm?

    `I didnt say t.

    `But I knoo be ratrayed you:  here.

    `O I kno -  quite a personal matter. I t be love-sick for some unknoed Beatrice w abroad.

    `By t  occurred to me t I  o see Pom  enter a room o sing our glees, shall we?

    `, is your cousin coming to stay ep annoyance.

    `Yes; t en. So leave uation, ay hs, I hope.

    `And am I bound to be pleased at t news?

    `O no, not at all, said Lucy, tle air of pique. `I am pleased, but t, of course, is no reason whe world I love so well as my cousin Maggie.

    `And you ête-à-tête  is to P have been a resource.

    `It is a family quarrel ances, I believe - I never quite understood tulliver unate and lost all y, and I t. Mr akem bouge Mill, my uncles old place, ulliver, dont you?

    `No, said Step, apart from  detaced way.

    `-tempered man. I remember, o go to see my cousins, en frigalking as if old me t aken in many ered. But tom and Maggie must naturally feel it very painful to be reminded of trouble. Maggie  sccunes, and suation in a scermined to be independent, and not live  Pullet; and I could o come to me t is o me now, and have a long, long holiday.

    `Very s and angelic of you, said Step ional qualities of her.

    `Poor aunty! You are cruel to ridicule o me, I knoer tranger  to me in mammas illness.

    `Yes, but in point of companions sed by  er  in person, and  kind - a fat blonde girl, are at us silently.

    `O yes! exclaimed Lucy, laug is just my cousin Maggie. You must have seen her!

    `No, indeed: Im only guessing ullivers daug be. And to banisenor, t ional bore.

    `But I  may not be. I to call on Pell omorrooms feeling and al of and if you tell  I asked you to o come until I e to ask him.

    `I tter e a pretty note for me to take. Pive, you kno t frig all, and  o come to t like my sisters, I t is only your fa?ry touc can lay hers.

    Stepered ttle  raying toable, and touc ligtle Lucy felt very proud and ep stage of courts exquisite moment of yout blossom-time of passion - ion ual divination, exalting t trivial est gesture, into te and delicious as ed jasmine scent. tness of an engagement  edge of susceptibility: it is jasmine gated in a large bouquet.

    `But it is really odd t you s so exactly on Maggies appearance and manners, said to reac om  round eyes; and aring at people.

    `O, I suppose o be as proud as Lucifer. Not a brilliant companion, think.

    `I like tom.  Lolo. And papa is very fond of om  principles. It  o pay all s before he died.

    `O t; I alking about it a little erminable discussions about business. tulliver - urpin, to bring t toppage of a bank or somet sort. But I  time.

    Step, and sauntered to tto, `Graceful Consort, as urned over tion, he desk.

    `Come and sing this, he said, when he saw Lucy rising.

    `, quot;Graceful Consortquot;? I dont t suits your voice.

    `Never mind; it exactly suits my feeling,  of good singing. I notice men  voices are usually of t opinion.

    `P into one of ives against quot;tionquot; ting  t  of sugared complacency and flattering make-believe in it, as if it ten for te of a German Grand Duke.

    `O pooemper. e are Adam and Eve unfallen - in paradise. Noative, for ty of ;And from obedience grows my pride and ;

    `O no, I s respect an Adam o play t.

    Surely tss and fears must be t in ual fitness t springs from tes fulfilling expectation just at t moment betes of t accord of descending ted loving co supersede any immediate demand for less impassioned forms of agreement. tralto  care to catecenor  oo, e time, ical principle must ion under sucances; and a violin faito rotten boroug empted to fraternise in a demoralising -ted soprano, and toned bass, singing,

    `it is every ne bliss,

    believed .

    `No;squot; to perfection.

    `t sounds complimentary, said Step cs nearly  one. ell, I can just sing this.

    Stepes representing tread of ts: - but iments. Minnys mistress tle to aste t  and scampered under test c eligible place in he crack of doom.

    `Adieu, quot;graceful consort,quot; said Steptoning  across ronising lover to ttle lady on tool. `My bliss is not incessant, for I must gallop o be t lunch.

    `You  be able to call on P is of no consequence: I e.

    `You omorrow, I suppose?

    `Yes, o tle family party. My cousin tom y  time. It ty - I t deal about it.

    `But I may come t day?

    `O yes! Come and be introduced to my cousin Maggie - t to have seen her, - you have described her so well.

    `Good-by, t sligary meeting of ten leave a little lady  flus do not subside immediately o o seat ly at ional and improving occupation. At least t on Lucy; and you , I  an indication of vanity predominating over more tender impulses, t s glanced in t . to kno one  looked an absolute frigion may be construed as lying  consideration for oture t I am inclined to ted , just as t altogeto you,  stle triump flutter of  at t s sunny benignity in e lost, and if s is because t of le affections and goodnatured offices  instantaneous alternation s of feeling or imagination seem simultaneous, is glancing continually from Stepo tions sreated as  lady visitor - nay, better, for s prints and dra of spring flo - sty t tulliver, t no one made any account of - so be surprised  of a cap of superlative quality, and to ifying manner, for   time to indulge in long reveries about  so paused there.

    `s tter, tooping in anso some ing   you? Come, t us go and see Sindbad.

    Sindbad   surned out in t creatures, and knee tastes of all t ting in ttle rippling sounds of ain animals rivial, I will s.

    as not Step rig teen e t of  be likely to repent of marrying? - a  giving ts, but ifications, ing enjoyment of little pleasures prepared for tion did not fall precisely on t quality in  strike y. A man likes o be pretty: ty, but not to a maddening extent. A man likes o be accomplisle, affectionate and not stupid; and Lucy ions. Step surprised to find  judgment in preferring o Miss Leyburn, ter of ty member, alter of e partner; besides, o defy and overcome a sligment in ers - a circumstance ep o co make  considerations.  to ctle darling, and exactly t of woman  admired.