children to this career are but sorry calculators!--educating them but to feel the bitter smart of their station, to see more clearly the wide gulf that separates them from what they live amongst!” said she, in a voice of deep emotion. “Her Ladyship, Miss Henderson,” said a servant, throwing wide the door, and closing it after the entrance of Lady Dorothea, who swept into the room in her haughtiest of moods, and seated herself with all that preparation that betokened a visit of importance. “Take a seat, Miss Henderson,” said she. And Kate obeyed in silence. “If in the course of what I shall have to say to you,” resumed her Ladyship,--“if in what I shall feel it my _duty_ to say to you, I may be betrayed into any expression stronger than in a calmer moment would occur to me,--stronger in fact, than strict justice might warrant--” “I beg your Ladyship's pardon if I interrupt, but I would beg to remark--” “What?” said Lady Dorothea, proudly. “That simply your Ladyship's present caution is the best security for future propriety. I ask no other.” “You presume too far, young lady. I cannot answer that _my_ temper may not reveal sentiments that my judgment or my breeding might prefer to keep in abeyance.” “If the sentiments be there, my Lady, I should certainly say, better to avow them,” said Kate, with an air of most impassive coldness. “I 'm not aware that I have asked your advice on that head, Miss Henderson,” said she, almost insolently. “At the same time, your habits of late in this family may have suggested the delusion.” “Will your Ladyship pardon me if I confess I do not understand you?” “You shall have little to complain of on that score, Miss Henderson; I shall not speak in riddles, depend upon it. Nor should that be an obstacle if your intelligence were only the equal of your ambition.” “Now, indeed, is your Ladyship completely beyond me.” “Had you felt that I was as much 'above' you, Miss Henderson, it were more to the purpose.” “I sincerely hope that I have never forgotten all the deference I owe your Ladyship,” said Kate. Nor could humble words have taken a more humble accent; and yet they availed little to conciliate her to whom they were addressed; nay, this very humility seemed to irritate and provoke her to a greater show of temper, as with an insolent laugh she said,--“This mockery of respect never imposed on we, young lady. I have been bred and born in a rank where real deference is so invariable that the fictitious article is soon detected, had there been any hardy enough to attempt it.” Kate made no other answer to this speech than a deep inclination of her head. It might mean assent, submission, anything.