‘She is the most disagreeable thing I ever saw,’ said Dora.

‘You can’t believe how ill-tempered and shocking she is, Julia.’

‘Yes, I can, my dear!’ said Julia.

‘YOU can, perhaps, love,’ returned Dora, with her hand on Julia’s. ‘Forgive my not excepting you, my dear, at first.’

I learnt, from this, that Miss Mills had had her trials in the course of a chequered existence; and that to these, perhaps, I might refer that wise benignity of manner which I had already noticed.

I found, in the course of the day, that this was the case: Miss Mills having been unhappy in a misplaced affection, and being understood