"You must permit me to prescribe for you," said he gently, "for I think if there is anything that vexes you, you will feel less depressed in company than if you were to go up stairs and sit alone in your own room. For you have no companion--no--" "No mother;" said Margaret, looking up into his face, with an expression of quiet sorrow that nearly upset all his plans; for had he then said all that he felt and hoped, he might have set out upon his travels the next morning. "Are these your azalias?" said he, stopping before one of the stands, "they look very gay. Do you remember when you asked Mr. Grey for them; the first evening I came." "Oh! do you recollect that, Mr. Haveloc!" said Margaret. "I remember every particular of those few minutes you chose not to speak to me." "Oh, Mr. Haveloc, you did not speak to _me_!" said Margaret, smiling, "and, of course, strangers could not have any thing to say to each other." "Have you read the book upon Etruria?" said Mr. Haveloc. "Yes--long ago." "And you were interested by it?" "Oh! very much. It seems to me so strange that people should almost have forgotten the existence of such a nation, until lately; when these discoveries were made." "Have you seen any account of the ruined cities in Central America?" "No; what cities? Who built them?" "There seems to be some doubt on that subject; but it is generally believed that these are the cities of the Mexicans which were actually depopulated by the Spaniards; and which now lie, temples, altars, and palaces, overrun with vegetation, and buried in forests." "And are they in any state of preservation?" "Almost as they were left by their owners; buildings of vast extent and elaborate workmanship. The work which has lately come out on this subject, is crowded with drawings, which give a perfect idea of these remains." "I should like to see that book;" said Margaret. "I shall have great pleasure in showing it to you. I have just been reading it," said Mr. Haveloc. "And these Mexicans were then as civilized a people as the Etruscans?" "More luxurious; but perhaps less artistical. There is a great deal of elegance in the Etruscan decorations." "That is true. What a number of new things I have to learn. I did not know that any traces of those cities remained; and I believed there was a great deal of fiction in the accounts of the Spaniards." "So did Robertson. He had been assured that there were no ruins in that part of the world; and the accounts of the Spanish invaders were too magnificent to be believed without some confirmation." "And who wrote this work?" "An American named Stevens, who had displayed a great deal of enterprise and research. A singular occupation for one of that nation, for it was not a very likely means of earning dollars." "Oh! there is a little prejudice in that remark, Mr. Haveloc," said Margaret. "Perhaps _all_ Americans do not love money better than anything in the world."