“Look at that, Elinor,” said Mrs. Dennistoun, next day, when she had read, twice over, a letter, large and emblazoned with a very big monogram, which Elinor, well perceiving from whom it came, had furtively watched the effect of from behind an exceeding small letter of her own. Phil was not remarkable as a correspondent: his style was that of the primitive mind which hopes its correspondent is well, “as this leaves me.” He had never much more to say. “From Mariamne, mamma?” “She takes great pains to make us certain of that fact at least,” Mrs. Dennistoun said; which indeed was very true, for the name of the writer was sprawled in gilt letters half over the sheet. And this was how it ran:-- “DEAR MRS. DENNISTOUN,-- “I have been thinking what a great pity it would be to bore you with me, and my maid, and all my belongings. I am so silly that I can never be happy without dragging a lot of things about with me--dogs, and people, and so forth. Going to town in September is dreadful, but it is rather _chic_ to do a thing that its quite out of the way, and one may perhaps pick up a little fun in the evening. So if you don’t mind, instead of inflicting Fifine and Bijou and Leocadie, not to mention some people that might be with me, upon you, and putting your house all out of order, as these odious little dogs do when people are not used to them--I will come down by the train, which I hope arrives quite punctually, in time to see poor Phil turned off. I am sure you will be so kind as to send a carriage for me to the railway. We shall be probably a party of four, and I hear from Phil you are so hospitable and kind that I need not hesitate to bring my friends to breakfast after it’s all over. I hope Phil will go through it like a man, and I wouldn’t for worlds deprive him of the support of his family. Love to Nell. I am, “Yours truly, “MARIAMNE PRESTWICH.” “The first name very big and the second very small,” said Mrs. Dennistoun, as she received the letter back. “I am sure we are much obliged to her for not coming, mamma!” “Perhaps--but not for this announcement of her not coming. I don’t wish to say anything against your new relations, Elinor----” “You need not put any restraint upon yourself in consideration of my feelings,” said Elinor, with a flush of annoyance.