The ladies did "free their minds" immediately, and Mrs. Seymour begged to be excused for a few moments. She said it was a case involving nice points, and she wished to act cautiously; that in cases of the kind, where the happiness of parties hung for life upon a decision which must be so soon made, she was in the habit of taking counsel of her "heavenly Father," and in her private oratory to approach him in prayer. She started from the room, and then suddenly returned, and said, "Ladies, perhaps you would like to see a beautiful '_prie-dieu_,' which I have in my oratory; a beautiful present to me by the Duke of Argyle, when I was visiting Scotland, in honor of a successful clairvoyant discovery which, with the help of Almighty God, I was enabled to make for him." The ladies followed her up to the little "hall bedroom," so customary in certain New York houses, and which was quite neatly fitted up. There was the _prie-dieu_--a thing which these ladies had never seen, or indeed heard of before. They asked "Mrs. Seymour" what it was for; and she explained to them that it was a chair to pray in, and showed them how to kneel and sit, and where to put the prayer-book. Duly they withdrew, greatly edified by the pious, good lady's conduct, while she tarried for a while to "pray," and came down at last to the parlor with a very saintly countenance on--quite "illumined" in fact. She had been inspired with counsel how Mary was to proceed with her coming husband, in order to increase and secure forever his love. Mrs. Seymour had learned all she needed to know from Mary's full confession, spiced with suggestions by the garrulous aunt.