Here Lucy stopped her sister's speech, by bringing the gown forward to display it. When Harriet had sufficiently explained its excellence she began, 'So your cousin, young Merton, is coming, is he?' 'Yes,' said Katherine, 'we expected him last night, or in the course of this day, but he has not come yet.' 'Well, what sort of a young fellow is he?' said Harriet. 'Very clever indeed,' said Katherine. 'Oh! then he will not be in my line at all,' said Harriet; 'those clever boys are never worth speaking to, are they, Lucy?' 'Do you like stupid ones better?' said Helen. 'Capital, isn't it, Lucy?' cried Harriet; 'I did not mean stupid; I only meant, clever boys, as they call them, have no fun, they only read, read for ever, like my brother Allan.' 'I am sure Rupert is full of fun,' said Katherine. 'Oh, but he is quite a boy, is not he?' said Harriet. 'Nineteen, and at Oxford,' said Katherine. 'Oh! I call that quite a boy--don't you, Lucy?' said Harriet; 'is he handsome?' 'Yes, very,' said Katherine. 'Not like his sister, then, I suppose,' said Harriet. 'Oh! do not you, think Anne pretty?' said Katherine. 'I do not know--no, too small and pale to suit me,' said Harriet. 'Rupert is not like Anne,' said Katherine, 'he has a very bright pink and white complexion, and light hair.' 'Is he tall?' 'No, not so tall as your brother George, but slighter. He has had two of his front teeth knocked out by a stone at school,' said Katherine. 'What a fuss they did make about those teeth!' muttered Helen. 'Was that the school where Horace is?' said Harriet. 'Yes,' said Katherine, 'Sandleford.' 'How you must miss Horace!' said Lucy. 'Poor little fellow, yes, that we do,' said Katherine, 'but he was so riotous, he would pull all my things to pieces. Nobody could manage him but Lizzie, and she never minds what she has on.' 'What a tear he did make in my frock!' said Harriet, laughing; 'didn't he, Lucy?' 'How tired you look, Lucy,' said Helen, 'I am sure you ought to be in bed.' 'Oh no, I am not very sleepy,' said Lucy, smiling. 'I am dead tired, I am sure,' said Harriet, yawning; 'it was so hot in the railway carriage.' 'Cannot the rest of those things be put away to-morrow morning, Harriet?' said Helen. 'Oh!' said Harriet, yawning, 'there will not be time; Lucy may as well do them all now she has begun. How sleepy I am! we walked about London all the morning.' 'Come, Helen,' said Katherine, 'it is quite time for us to be gone; we must be up early to-morrow.' CHAPTER V.