“Easily enough. I 'll show them that it's for their advantage that we are here. It is true that we agreed to take a house together; but every plan is modified by the events of the campaign. Petrolaffsky will be content if Mr. Dalton plays piquet; the Colonel will like his claret and Burgundy; and Foglass will be pleased with the retirement that permits him to prosecute his attentions to Martha.” Poor Martha blushed crimson at the tone rather, even than the words of the speech; for, when nothing else offered, it was the practice of Mrs. Ricketts to insinuate coquetry as among her sister's defects. “You needn't look so much confused, my dear,” resumed the torturer; “I 'm certain it's not the first affair of the kind you've known.” “Oh, sister!” cried Martha, in a voice of almost entreaty. “Not that I think there would be anything unsuitable in the match; he is probably fifty-eight or nine,--sixty at most,----and, excepting deafness and the prosy tendency natural to his time of life, pretty much like everybody else.” “You know, sister, that _he_ never thought of _me_, nor _I _of _him_.” “I know that I am not in the confidence of either party,” said Mrs. Ricketts, bridling; “and I also know I am sincerely happy that my head is not crammed with such fiddle-faddle. Before the great event comes off, however, you will have time to attend to something else, and therefore I beg you will keep in mind what I am about to say to you. We are here, Martha,” resumed she, with all the solemnity of a judicial charge,--“we are here by no claims of relationship or previous friendship. No secret ties of congenial tastes bind us up together. No common attachment to some other dear creature forms a link between us. We are here as much by chance as one can venture to call anything in this unhappy world. Let us, then, show Fortune that we are not unworthy of her goodness, by neglecting nothing which may strengthen our position and secure our permanence. In a word, Martha, throw over all your selfishness'----forget the miserable egotism that besets you, and study that young girl's character and wishes. She has never been courted in life--flatter her; she has never been even thought of----show her every consideration; she is evidently of a thoughtful turn, and nobody can mope better than yourself. Insinuate yourself day by day into little household affairs, mingling counsels here and warnings there,--always on the side of economy,--so that while affecting only to play with the reins, you'll end by driving the coach.” “I 'm afraid I 've no head for all this, sister.” “Of course you have n't, nor for anything else without _me_ to guide you. I 'm perfectly aware of that. But you can learn. You can at least obey!” “My sister means that you can st-st-struggle against the natural w-w-wilfulness of your d-disposition,” cackled in Purvis. “I'll do my best,” murmured Martha, in a voice of humility.