Sir Joshua’s pictures were works of genius in his line, equal to Mr. Boulton’s and Mr. Wedgwood’s exhibitions; therefore, she ventured to offer Captain Fane the benefit of her ticket, as a poor return for his former kindness. She was all alone, save her maid, Rogers, because Lady Sundon was engaged with Sir Peter, and the Misses Sundon could not stand the smell of paint without the risk of incurring megrim or vertigo. She was more fortunate—but then she had always dabbled in paints, and so was used to the odour. Before Captain Fane knew what he was about, he had turned, and was walking away by her side in acceptance of her invitation. Neither did he detest or despise himself for his weakness, as might have been expected. Lady Bell had succeeded, without a word of confession or acknowledgment, by the shy, wistful appeal of her eyes as she prattled to him, in making him comprehend that she had seen that he was right and she was wrong in their respective opinions of much that had happened at the water-party. She implied that she was sorry for having offended and alienated him; that she had resolved on following, in future, rational pursuits, instead of mere idle pleasure-hunting,—witness her early homage to art this morning. Captain Fane could not even accuse himself of meddling in a matter which was none of his, far less could he accuse himself of madly foolish motives. Was it not in some measure the business of every honourable, kindly man to encourage a girl like Lady Bell, in any intelligent interest that might help to educate her, and raise her above the giddy vacant crowd of fashionables, with whom idleness was the fruitful parent of mischief? Ought he not to alter his arrangements, and put himself a little out of his way for one morning, to see that she did not fall into company like that of the hateful Sir George Waring, when she was walking abroad with no better protection than her maid’s? True, it was broad day, and with that it was also betimes in the forenoon, doubtless an age before Sir George was up holding his levee, in his brocade nightgown, as he sipped his chocolate, and pencilled his daily note to Mrs. Lascelles. But people could not be too careful, under some conditions. Lady Sundon was certainly as fearless and heedless, as Lady Bell was guileless and thoughtless. It became Captain Fane’s part to supplement the absence of some of the proper qualities of a guardian in his cousin. If Lady Sundon was lax, the strictness and zeal of Captain Fane on Lady Bell’s behalf might, if the persons principally concerned had given themselves time to think about it, have astonished even them. But this young couple, after the questionable fashion of young couples, did not pause to weigh their relations—they took them for granted.