“Perhaps my aunt Pembroke would be so good to accept of the original?” said Colonel Hungerford; “and my mother would beg of Lady Elizabeth to give her copy to--our gallery.” “Do, my dear Elizabeth,” said Mrs. Hungerford. Lady Elizabeth shook her head, yet smiled. “Do, my dear; you cannot refuse your cousin.” “_Cousin!_ there’s hope still,” thought Rosamond. “If it were but worthy of his acceptance,” said Lady Elizabeth.--Colonel Hungerford, lost in the enjoyment of her self-timidity and retiring grace, quite forgot to say how much he thought the picture worthy of his acceptance. His mother spoke for him. “Since Hungerford asks you for it, my dear, you may be certain that he thinks highly of it, for my son never flatters.” “Who? I!--flatter!” cried Colonel Hungerford; “flatter!” added he, in a low voice, with a tenderness of accent and look, which could scarcely be misunderstood. Nor was it misunderstood by Lady Elizabeth, as her quick varying colour showed. It was well that, at this moment, no eye turned upon Rosamond, for all her thoughts and feeling would have been read in her face. “Come,” cried Lady Mary, “let us have the picture in its place directly--come all of you to the gallery, fix where it shall be hung.” Colonel Hungerford seized upon it, and following Lady Elizabeth, accompanied Lady Mary to the gallery. Mrs. Hungerford rose deliberately--Caroline offered her arm. “Yes, my dear child, let me lean upon you.” They walked slowly after the young party--Rosamond followed. “I am afraid,” said Mrs. Hungerford, as she leaned more upon Caroline, “I am afraid I shall tire you, my dear.” “Oh! no, no!” said Caroline, “not in the least.” “I am growing so infirm, that I require a stronger arm, a kinder I can never have.” The door of the antechamber, which opened into the gallery, closed after the young people. “I am not one of those _exigeante_ mothers who expect always to have possession of a son’s arm,” resumed Mrs. Hungerford: “the time, I knew, would come, when I must give up my colonel.” “And with pleasure, I am sure, you now give him up, secure of his happiness,” said Caroline. Mrs. Hungerford stopped short, and looked full on Caroline, upon whom she had previously avoided to turn her eyes. From what anxiety did Caroline’s serene, open countenance, and sweet ingenuous smile, at this instant, relieve her friend! Old as she was, Mrs. Hungerford had quick and strong feelings. For a moment she could not speak--she held out her arms to Caroline, and folded her to her heart. “Excellent creature!” said she--“Child of my affections--_that_ you must ever be!” “Oh! Mrs. Hungerford! my dear madam,” cried Rosamond, “you have no idea how unjust and imprudent I have been about Caroline.” “My love,” said Mrs. Hungerford, smiling, and wiping tears from her eyes, “I fancy I can form a competent idea of your imprudence from my own. We must all learn discretion from this dear girl--you, early--I, late in life.”