“You may take a chair, my dear, if you please,” said Lady Valeria, graciously; “you seem to be rather pale to-day. I hope you have not taken anything likely to disagree with you. If you have, there is still a little drop left of my famous ginger cordial. You make a face! That is not becoming. You must get over those childish tricks. You are--let me see, how old are you?” “Seventeen years and a half, madam; about last Wednesday fortnight.” “It is always good to be accurate, Alice. ‘About’ is a very loose word indeed. It may have been either that day or another.” “It must have been either that day or some other,” said Alice, gravely curtsying. “You inherit this catchword style from your father. I pass it over, as you are so young. But the sooner you leave it off, the better. There are many things now that you must leave off. For instance, you must not pretend to be witty. It is not in our family.” “I did not suppose that it was, grandmother.” “There used to be some wit, when I was young, but none of it has descended. There is nothing more fatal to a young girl’s prospects than a sad ambition for jesting. And it is concerning your prospects now, that I wish to advise you kindly. I hear from your father a very sad thing--that you receive with ingratitude the plans which we have formed for you.” “My father has not told me of any plans at all about me.” “He may not have told you; but you know them well. Consulting your own welfare and the interest of the family, we have resolved that you should at once receive the addresses of Captain Chapman.” “You cannot be so cruel, I am sure. Or if you are, my father cannot. I would sooner die than so degrade myself.” “Young girls always talk like that when their fancy does not happen to be caught. When, however, that is the case, they care not how they degrade themselves. This throws upon their elders the duty of judging and deciding for them, as to what will conduce to their happiness.” “To hear Captain Chapman’s name alone conduces to my misery.” “I beg you, Alice, to explain what you mean. Your expressions are strong; and I am not sure that they are altogether respectful.” “I mean them to be quite respectful, grandmother; and I do not mean them to be too strong. Indeed I should despair of making them so.” “You are very provoking. Will you kindly state your objections to Captain Chapman?” Alice for the first time dropped her eyes under the old lady’s steadfast gaze. She felt that her intuition was right, but she could not put it into words. “Is it his appearance, may I ask? Is he too short for your ideal? Are his eyes too small, and his hair too thin? Does he slouch in walking, and turn his toes in? Is it any trumpery of that sort?” asked Lady Valeria, though in her heart such things were not scored as “trumpery.” “Were such things trumpery when you were young?” her grandchild longed to ask, but duty and good training checked her.