Mrs. White did not neglect the suggestion, but at once repaired to that part of the room where Lady Janet was sitting, surrounded by a select circle, eagerly discussing the very question she had asked to be informed upon. “I had it from Verthinia,” said Mrs. Malone, with her peculiar, thick enunciation, “Lady Kilgoff's maid. She said that not a day passes without some such scene between the mother and daughters. Mrs. Kennyfeck had, it seems, forbithen Cashel to call there in her abthence.” “I must most respectfully interrupt you, madam,” said a large old lady, with blond false hair, and a great deal of rouge, “but the affair was quite different. Miss Olivia, that is the second girl, was detected by her aunt, Miss O'Hara, packing up for an elopement.” “Fudge!” said Lady Janet; “she'd have helped her, if that were the case! I believe the true version of the matter is yet to come out. My woman, Stubbs, saw the apothecary coming downstairs, after bleeding Livy, and called him into her room; not, indeed, to speak of this matter”--here Lady Janet caused her voice to be heard by Sir Andrew, who sat, in moody sulk, right opposite--“it was to ask, if there should not be two pods of capsicum in every pint of dandelion tea.” “There may be twa horns o' the de'il in it,” ejaculated Sir Andrew, “but I 'll na pit it to my mouth agen. I hae a throat like the fiery furnace that roasted the three chaps in the Bible.” “It suits your tongue all the better,” muttered Lady Janet, and turned round to the others. “Stubbs, as I was saying, called the man in, and after some conversation about the dandelion, asked, in a cursory way, you know, 'How the lady was, upstairs?' He shook his head, and said nothing. “'It will not be tedious, I hope?' said Stubbs. “'These are most uncertain cases,' said he; 'sometimes they last a day, sometimes eight or nine.' “'I think you 're very mysterious, doctor,' said Stubbs. “He muttered something about honor, and, seizing his hat went off, as Stubbs says, 'as if he was shot!'” “Honor!” cried one of the hearers. “Honor!” ejaculated another, with an expression of pure horror. “Did n't he say, madam,” said the blond old lady, “that it wasn't his branch of the profession?” “Oh! oh!” broke in the company together, while the younger ladies held up their fans and giggled behind them. “I 'm thorry for the poor mother!” sighed Mrs. Malone, who had seven daughters, each uglier than the other. “I pity the elder girl,” said Lady Janet; “she had a far better tone about her than the rest.” “And that dear, kind old creature, the aunt. It is said that but for her care this would have happened long ago,” said Mrs. Malone. “She was, to my thinking, the best of them,” echoed the blond lady; “so discreet, so quiet, and so unobtrusive.”