178 The Real Charlotte, 



she saw Annie Beattie standing at her window with a duster 

 in her hand, the triumph of her position was blighted by the 

 reflection that if Charlotte did not know everything before 

 the afternoon was out, full details would be supplied to her 

 at the party to which on this very evening they had been 

 bidden by Mrs. Beattie. 



The prospect of the cross-examination which she would 

 have to undergo grew in portentousness during the hour 

 and a half of waiting at Tally Ho for her cousin's return, 

 while, through and with her fears, the dirt and vulgarity of 

 the house and the furniture, the sickly familiarities of Louisa, 

 and the all-pervading smell of cats and cooking, impressed 

 themselves on her mind with a new and repellent vigour 

 But Charlotte, when she arrived, was evidently still in happy 

 ignorance of the events that would have interested her so 

 profoundly. Her Dublin dentist had done his spiriting 

 gently, her friends had been so hospitable that her lodging- 

 house breakfasts had been her only expense in the way of 

 meals, and the traditional battle with the Lismoyle car- 

 driver and his equally inevitable defeat had raised her spirits 

 so much that she accepted Francie's expurgated account 

 of her sojourn at Bruff with almost boisterous approval. 

 She even extended a jovial feeler in the direction of 

 Christopher. 



" Well, now, after all the chances you've had, Francie, I'll 

 not give tuppence for you if you haven't Mr. Dysart at your 

 feet ! " 



It was not usually Francie's way to object to jests of this 

 kind, but now she shrank from Charlotte's heavy hand. 



" Oh, he was awfully kind," she said hurriedly ; " but I 

 don't think he'll ever want to marry anyone, not even Miss 

 Hope-Drummond, for all as hard as she's trying ! " 



" Paugh ! Let her try ! She'W. not get him, not if she 

 was to put her eyes on sticks ! But believe you me, child, 

 there never was a man yet that pretended he didn't want to 

 marry that wasn't dying for a wife ! " 



This statement demanded no reply, and Miss Mullen 

 departed to the kitchen to see the new kittens and to hold 

 high inquisition into the doings of the servants during her 

 absence. 



Mrs. Beattie gave but two parties in the year — one at 



