“Well, well!” said Lady Bearcroft, “thank you, Miss Hanley, at all events for your good advice. But, neck or nothing, I am apt to go through with whatever I once take into my head, and, since you cannot aid and abet, I will trouble you no further, only not to say a word of what I have mentioned. But all the time I thank you, my dear young lady, as much as if I took your dictum. So, my dear Miss Hanley--Stanley--do not let me interrupt you longer in your book-hunt. Take care of that step-ladder, though; it is _coggledy_, as I observed when you came down--Good night, good night.” CHAPTER X “My dear Helen, there is an end of every thing!” cried Lady Cecilia, the next day, bursting into Helen’s room, and standing before her with an air of consternation. “What has brought things to this sad pass, I know not,” continued she, “for, but an hour before, I left every body in good-humour with themselves--all in good train. But now----” “What?” said Helen, “for you have not given me the least idea of what has happened.” “Because I have not the least idea myself, my dear. All I know is, that something has gone wrong, dreadfully! between my mother and Lady Bearcroft. Mamma would not tell me what it is; but her indignation is at such a height she declares she will not see that _woman,_ again:--positively will not come forth from her chamber as long as Lady Bearcroft remains in the house. So there is a total break up--and I wish I had never meddled with any thing. O that I had never brought together these unsuitabilities, these incompatibilities! Oh, Helen! what shall I do?” Quite pale, Lady Cecilia stood, really in despair; and Helen did not know what to advise. “Do you know any thing about it, Helen, for you look as if you did?” An abrupt knock at the door interrupted them, and, without waiting for permission, in came Lady Bearcroft, as if blown by a high wind, looking very red: half angry, half frightened, and then laughing, she exclaimed--“A fine _boggle-de-botch,_ I have made of it!” But seeing Lady Cecilia, she stopped short--“Beg pardon--thought you were by yourself, Miss Hanley.” Lady Cecilia instantly offered to retire, yet intimated, as she moved towards the door, a wish to stay, and, if it were not too much, to ask what was meant by---- “By _boggle-de-botch_, do you mean?” said Lady Bearcroft. “I am aware it is not a canonical word--classical, I mean; nor in nor out of any dictionary, perhaps--but when people are warm, they cannot stand picking terms.” “Certainly not,” said Lady Cecilia; “but what is the matter? I am sorry any thing unpleasant has occurred.” “Unpleasant indeed!” cried Lady Bearcroft; “I have been treated actually like a dog, while paying a compliment too, and a very handsome compliment, beyond contradiction. Judge for yourself, Lady Cecilia, if this Sevigné is to be _sneezed at_?” She opened the case; Lady Cecilia said the diamonds were certainly very handsome, but----