information that she considered the patient decidedly worse she would cheer him up by relating how dull and low spirited miss was because foolishly talked about nothing else but him and family matters when she had made thoroughly comfortable witli these and other remarks she would discourse at length on the duties she had performed that day and sometimes be moved to tears in wondering how if anything were to happen to herself the family would ever get on without her at � other times when came home at night he be accompanied by mr frank who was by the brothers to inquire how was that evening on such occasions and they were of very frequent occurrence mrs deemed it of particular importance that she should have her wits about her for from certain signs and tokens which had her attention she suspected that mr frank interested as his were in came quite as much to see as to inquire after her the more especially as the brothers were in constant communication with the medical man came backwards and forwards very frequently themselves and received a report from every morning these were proud times for mrs never was anybody half so discreet and sage as she or half so mysterious withal and never were there such cunning and such designs as she brought to bear upon mr frank with the view of whether her suspicions were well founded and if so of him into taking her into his confidence and throwing himself upon her consideration extensive was the heavy and light which mrs brought into play for the of these great schemes various and opposite the means which she employed to bring the end she had in view at one time she was all vol ii t life and adventures op cordiality and at another all and now she would seem to open her whole heart to her unhappy victim the next time they met she would receive him the most distant � ind reserve as if a new light had broken in upon her and his intentions she had resolved to check them in the bud as if she felt it her duty to act with firmness and at once and for ever to hopes which never could be at other times when was not there to and was upstairs busily tending her sick friend the worthy lady would throw out dark hints of an intention to send her daughter to france for three or four years or to scotland improvement of her health by her late or to america on a visit or anywhere that threatened a long and tedious separation nay she even went so far as to hint at an attachment entertained for her daughter by the son of an old neighbour of theirs one a young gentleman who might have been at that time four years old or and to represent it indeed as almost a settled thing between the families � only waiting for her daughter s final decision to come off with the sanction of the church and to the happiness and content oi all parties it was in the full pride and glory of having sprung this last mine one night with extraordinary success that mrs took the opportunity of being left alone with her son before retiring to rest to him on the subject which so occupied her thoughts not doubting that they could have but one opinion respecting it to this end she approached the question with divers and appropriate remarks touching the general of mr frank you are quite right mother said quite right he is a fine fellow good looking too said mrs decidedly good looking answered what may you call his nose now my dear pursued mrs wishing to interest in the subject to the utmost call it repeated ah returned his mother what style of � what order of architecture if one may say so i am not learned in noses do vou call it a or a upon my word mother said laughing as well as i remember i should call it a kind of or mixed nose but i have no very strong recollection on the if it will afford you any gratification i u observe it more closely and let you i wish you would my dear said mrs with an earnest look very weu returned i will returned to the perusal of the book he had been reading when the dialogue had gone thus far mrs after stopping a little for consideration resumed he is very much attached to you my dear said as he closed his book that he was glad to hear it and observed that his mother seemed deep in their new friend s confidence already hem said mrs i don t know about that my dear but i think it is very necessary that somebody should be in his confidence � highly necessary elated by a look of curiosity from her son and the consciousness of possessing a great secret all to herself mrs went on with great animation am sure my dear how you can have failed to notice it is to mo quite extraordinary though i don t know why i should say that either because of course as far as it goes and to a certain extent there is a great deal in this sort of thing especially in this early stage which however clear it may be to females can scarcely be expected to be so evident to men i don t say that i have any particular penetration in such matters i may have those about me should know best about that and perhaps do know upon that point i shall express no opinion � it wouldn t become me to do so � it s quite out of the question � quite the candles put his hands in his pockets and leaning back in his chair assumed a look of patient suffering 