“Well, I declare, Mrs. Lindsay,” replied Mrs. Goodwin, (God forgive her!) “you have taken us quite by surprise--you have indeed;--dear me--I'm quite agitated; but he is, indeed, a fine young man--a perfect gentleman in his manners, and if he be as good as he looks--for marriage, God help us, tries us all--” “I hope it never tried you much, Martha,” replied her husband, smiling. “No, my dear, I don't say so. Still, when the happiness of one's child is concerned--and such a child as Alice--” “But consider, Mrs. Goodwin,” replied the ambassadress, who, in fact, was not far from an explosion at what she considered a piece of contemptible vacillation on the part of her neighbor--“consider, Mrs. Goodwin,” said she, “that the happiness of my son is concerned.” “I know it is,” she replied; “but speak to her father, Mrs. Lindsay--he, as such, is the proper person--O, dear me.” “Well, Mr. Goodwin--you have heard what I have said?” “I have, madam,” said he; “but thank God I am not so nervous as my good wife here. I like your son, Harry, very much, from what I have seen of him--and, to be plain with you, I really see no objection to such a match. On the contrary, it will promote peace and good-will between us; and, I have no doubt, will prove a happy event to the parties most concerned.” “O, there is not a doubt of it,” exclaimed Mrs. Goodwin, now chiming in with her husband; “no, there can be no doubt of it. O, they will be very happy together, and that will be so delightful. My darling Alice!”--and here she became pathetic, and shed tears copiously--“yes,” she added, “we will lose you, my darling, and a lonely house we will have after you, for I suppose they will live in the late Mr. Hamilton's residence, on their own property.” This allusion to the arrangements contemplated in the event of the marriage, redeemed, to a certain degree, the simple-hearted Mrs. Goodwin from the strongest possible contempt on the part of a woman who was never known to shed a tear upon any earthly subject. “Well, then,” proceeded Mrs. Lindsay, “I am to understand that this proposal on the behalf of my son is accepted?” “So far as I and Mrs. Goodwin are concerned,” replied Goodwin, “you are, indeed, Mrs. Lindsay, and so far all is smooth and easy; but, on the other hand, there is Alice--she, you know, is to be consulted.” “O! as for poor Alice,” said her mother, “there will be no difficulty with her; whatever I and her father wish her to do, if it be to please us, that she will do.” “I trust,” said Mrs. Lindsay, “she has no previous attachment; for that would be unfortunate for herself, poor girl.” “She an attachment!” exclaimed her mother; “no, the poor, timid creature never thought of such a thing.” “It is difficult for parents to know that,” replied Mrs. Lindsay; “but where is she?”