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"Edward, my dear, how can you talk such nonsense?" interposed Lady Helen. "I certainly think young ladies would do very wrong to neglect household and practical details, however trivial these may appear to them; and I own, that I do not see anything in Cécile's position or prospects which is peculiarly to exempt her from this general rule, or to render her so supremely indifferent to everything in the world but reading."

"Ah! you must remember that that is the most important obligation of all to her, as she intends to be a governess."

"Indeed!" most sarcastically observed Lady Helen; "I was entirely ignorant of any such views on her part."

“Not more so, I assure you, Lady Helen, than I am myself," exclaimed Cécile, smiling; "but Edward seems to be in a particularly inventive mood this evening."

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Come, come, Saint Cecilia," resumed he, you know very well that I have good authority for what I am saying. Who was it that was enlarging so eloquently, not three days ago, upon the merits and inward satisfaction of those who

enter upon that respectable but much maligned profession?"

"Well, but if I did say something in commendation of those who shape out for themselves, by their industry, an honest livelihood, without forfeiting what may be due to their birth and original station, I don't remember showing any particular inclination to follow their honourable example myself."

"Oh! that was all, was it?" continued Edward. "There was nothing about your passionate love for children, and your longing to live with them, and to instruct them ?"

"Did I say something of the kind?" inquired Cécile, not without a slight blush.

"I

do not remember ever having considered myself qualified for the task."

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Qualified! I should like to know who is, if you are not. But I should almost suggest, that instead of following out this vocation, by running away from us into a private family, you should open a school, either in the village, or at Glanford. I say, St. Edmunds, wouldn't we attend?"

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twirling his dark moustache with a gravity which threw his fair cousin Constance into a fit

of laughter.

"And, gracious Heavens!" resumed Edward Basinstoke, "what emulation and contention there would be for a smile, or for a look of approbation!"

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Fearful, indeed,” replied St. Edmunds.

Suppose that in the meantime, Cécile, you were to give us a little music," interposed Lady Helen, apparently not much pleased at the tone the conversation was assuming.

"Perhaps you will kindly excuse me for tonight, Lady Helen: I have such a shocking head-ache, and I dare say Constance, who plays so well, will be good enough to devote herself for me."

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"That I certainly must decline doing, dear Cécile. Nothing could possibly justify me in inflicting upon our London cousin such wretched performance as mine, instead of your beautiful playing.".

Just then, sundry premonitory exclamations gave warning that Sir Charles's slumbers were coming to a close, and, a moment afterwards, he

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Oh, pray don't do that!" answered St. Edmunds," for you would give to my earlier conjectures perhaps more consistency than they really ever acquired. You are learned enough, and gifted enough, I am sure, to be the instructress of all present here, saving, may be, Edward Basinstoke, who, as I know, is a great scholar; and yet you are surely too young-"

"Too intemperate of speech-"

"No, but far too high-bred and lady-like in manner to be, in short

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"In short to be, what you still half deem me to be, Constance's governess. Come, I see that I must release you from any further doubts, or that you will think yourself obliged, in atonement for them, to pay me a multitude of compliments, which perchance you credit even less than I deserve them. Did you never hear of poor Cécile Basinstoke before, the only and orphaned niece to whom Sir Charles, her uncle, has so kindly offered the refuge of his hospitable home against all the miseries, not of poverty, but of absolute want?"

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No, not to my recollection."

"It is very surprising indeed," replied Cécile,

with her playful, tender smile, "that her illustrious name should never have been mentioned in London, where they have so little to think of besides her. However, I am she, and I trust that I shall be able to show you, before you leave Redburn, that I do not bear quite so ungrateful a heart or so rebellious a spirit as I have entitled you to give me credit for."

Ere our hero had time to offer any reply, a signal from Lady Helen called upon the ladies to retire, and he was left to muse upon what he had heard, or to listen, at his choice, to the imprecations which the now much-excited Sir Charles was in turns pouring forth upon the Bishop of Rome, the underhand dealings of the rival Angersteins, and the unimaginable credulity of the constituency.

When, at a late hour, they rejoined the party in the drawing-room, St. Edmunds found Lady Helen and her daughter seated, each with a book in her hand, on one side of the chimney-piece, while Cécile, occupying her accustomed seat on the other, seemed entirely absorbed in the important cares of her tapestry work. As a courteous relative, he moved forward towards the two former, not without casting a somewhat wishful

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