He was therefore the very last man to walk into the silken snare that Mrs. Dulcimer had set for him. He was kind and courteous to Clementina, who was ready to ‘worship him’ or to ‘rave about him’--in the Porkman phraseology--at a moment’s notice; but he reserved his tender attentions, his thrilling looks and lowered tones, for Bella, for whom the sweet poison, the social deadly nightshade of an unprincipled man’s flatteries had already too great a charm. Of the extent of the captain’s influence over her mind Bella herself was not yet aware. Indeed, she believed herself hardened against any such influence by the counter poison of a previous love. She had loved once, and loved unhappily, and therefore could never love again. This she firmly believed, and, secure in this belief, walked blindfold into danger. Her pleasure in the captain’s society she ascribed to the triumph of parading him before the astonished eyes of Little Yafford, the delight of lording it over the Porkmans, the fact that Captain Standish was the fashion. The dinner party was a success. It was made up of the _élite_ of Little Yafford and the surrounding neighbourhood--people who had ‘places’ of twenty to thirty acres, and who were altogether the next best thing to county families--Mr. and Mrs. Dulcimer, Colonel O’Shaughnessy, and Captain Standish. Clementina looked her prettiest, and was complimented on her likeness to her sister. ‘Bella,’ said the Vicar’s wife in a confidential tone, when the ladies were alone after dinner. ‘You are doing a noble thing for your sister. In my opinion Captain Standish is struck with her already.’ ‘You are sanguine, dear Mrs. Dulcimer,’ answered Bella, smiling. ‘I have not seen him particularly attentive to her.’ ‘Perhaps not, but he has been particularly attentive to you. He would naturally begin in that way.’ Bella was not quite clear upon this point; she had little faith in Mrs. Dulcimer’s judgment. Were not the most miserable hours of her life, her one inexcusable sin, referable to that lady’s mistake? But she found it rather agreeable to have Clementina as a companion. The girl was grateful, and willing to be useful, and was not in the way. Mrs. Dulcimer was so elated at the prospect of another brilliant match, to be brought about by her agency, that, towards the end of the evening, she took Mr. Piper into her confidence. ‘Charming man, Captain Standish, isn’t he?’ she asked.