The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-03-18

tnree-Oh perhaps i an nihthhen
Perhaps Miss Eyrecourt makes
fourth ~
Certainly. Father'"
I" A very charming person, Miss Not
man. | only speak as a stranger You
no doubt, arc much better acquainte,
with Miss Eyrccourt?'
" Much better, indeed, il L may pre-
sumo to say so," Miss hoffman replied
"She is my lady's intimate friend; W,
have often talked of Miss Eyrecour
during the many years of my residenc,
In this house. On such subjects he
ladyship treats me quito on the footing
of an humble friend A complete con
trast to the tone she took, Father, wheI
We came to the order of the dishes
We agreed, of course, about the souI
and the fish, but we had little, very
little divergence Of opinion, as I may
call it, on the subject of the dishes to
follow. Her ladgship said, First the
sweetbreads and then the outlets /
ventured to suggest that the sweet
breads, as white meat, had better not
Immediately follow the turbot, as white
fish. 'The brown meat, my LADY, I
said, las an agreeable variety presented
to the eye, and then the white meat, re-
calling pleasant remembrances of the
white fish You see The point, Father y
" I see, Miss hoffman, that you are a
consummate mistress of an art which is
quite beyond poorme. Was Miss Eyre
court present at the little discus sion?'
"Oh, no! Indeed 1 should have OBJ
! jected to her presence; l should have
said she was young lady out of her
proper place
"Yes, yes; understand. Is Miss
Eyrecourt an only child?'
"An only child now. She had a sis
ter, who is dead.
/" Sad for the father and mother, Miss
Notmanl'
"Pardon me, sad for the mother, no
doubt. The father died long since"
"Ayl ayl a sweet woman, the
mother? AT loast, | think | have heard
So"
Miss hoffman shook her head. 81
should wish TO guard myself against
speaking uniustly of any cae," she said;
"but when you talk of a sweet woman
You apply (as it seems to me) the
domestic virtues Mrs. Eyrecouit is
essentially frivolous person"
A frivolous person is, in the vast
majority of cases, II person easily per-
suaJed to talk, and not disposed to be
reticent in keeping secrets. Father
Benwell began to see his way already to
the necessary information.
"Is Mrs. Eyrecourt living in Ton.
don?" lie inquired.
"Oh, dear, mol At this time of yea,
she lives entirely in other peoples
houses-goes from one country seat to
another. ard only thinks of amusing
herself. No domestic qualities, Father.
She would know nothing of the order Of
the dishesl Lady Loring, should have
told you, gave way in the matter of the
sweetbread. 1t WAS only at quite the
latter part of my menoo," as the
French call it, that she showed spirit
Of opposition-well WELL I won't dwell
on that. / will only ask you, Father,
at what part of dinner an oyster-ome-
lette ought to be served?'
Father Benwell seized his opportunity
of discovering Mrs. Eyrecourt's present
address. "My dear lady" he said. al
know no more when the omelette ought
to be served than Mrs. Eyrecourt her.
self 1t must be very pleasant to lady
of her way of thinking to enjoy the
beauties of nature inexpensively-as
seen in other peoples houses, from the
point of view of welcome guest. /
wonder whether she is staying at any
country-se which l happen to have
seen?' tn.
"She may be in England, Scotland or
Ireland, for all know" Miss hoffman
answered, with an unaffected ignorance
which placed her good faith beyond
doubt. "Oonsult your own taste,
Father. After eating jelly, cream and
ice-pudding, could you even look at an
oyster-omelette without shuddering9
Would you believe it? Her ladyship
proposed to serve the omelette with the
cheese Oysters, after sweets! 1 am
not las yeti married woman"
Father Benwell made last desperate
effort to pave the way for one more
question before he submitted to defeat,
"That must be your fault, my dear
ladyl' he interposed, with his per-
suasive smile.
Miss hoffman simpered. you con.
fuse me, Father" she said, softly.
"I speak from inward conviction.
Miss hoffman. To looker-on, like my.
self, II Is sad to see how many sweel
women, who might be angels in the
households OF worthy men, prefer to
lead single life. The church, know
exalts the single life TO the highest
place. But even the church allows ex.
reptions to its rule. Under this roof
for example, think SEQ two excep
lions. One OF them my unfeigned re
spec." (he bowed to Miss Notmanl "for
bids me to indicate more particularly
The other seems. 10 my humble view, Il
be the young lady of whom We hav'
been speaking. Is it not strange tina
Miss Eyrecourt has never been matriedg
The trap had been elaborately set
Father Benwell had every reason Z
anticipate that Miss Notman woul,
walk into it. The disconcerting house
! keeper walked up to it-and the'
proved unable to advance step further
II once made the same remark my
self to Lady Loring," she said.
a Father Benwell's pulse began !
, quicken its beat. "Yes?" he mui
, INJURED, in tones of the gentlest encoui
, agement
NJ