"They are the children of the gardener and the greenhouse, I believe," she replied carelessly, and stepped on to another stand. "Mrs. Richards, I believe?" said the graceful vicar, taking off his hat to her. "I hope you are well, Mr. Cartwright?" replied the lady, following the steps of Rosalind. The two eldest Misses Richards were still assiduously besieging the two ears of Helen; but as the subjects of which they discoursed did not always require the same answers, she began to feel considerable fatigue from the exertion necessary for carrying on this double conversation, and was therefore not sorry to see Mr. Cartwright approach them, which must, she thought, produce a diversion in her favour. But she found that the parties were still personally strangers to each other; for though his bow was general, his address was only to herself. "And have you, too, Miss Mowbray, been venturing upon as long a walk as the rest of the party?" "We have all walked the same distance, Mr. Cartwright; but I believe we none of us consider it to be very far. We are all good walkers." "I rejoice to hear it, for it is the way to become good Christians. Where or how can we meet and _meetly_ examine the works of the great Creator so well as on the carpet he has spread, and beneath the azure canopy which his hands have reared above us?--The Misses Richards, I believe? May I beg an introduction, Miss Mowbray?" "Mr. Cartwright, Miss Richards--Miss Charlotte Richards," said Helen, without adding another word. "I need hardly ask if you are walkers," said the vicar, as he passed a smiling and apparently an approving glance over their rather remarkable length of limb. "Your friends, Miss Mowbray, look like young antelopes ready to bound over the fair face of Nature; and their eyes look as if there were intelligence within wherewith to read her aright." "Mamma is going into tea, I believe," said Helen, moving off. The whole manner and demeanour of the two Misses Richards had changed from the moment Mr. Cartwright approached. They became quite silent and demure; but as they followed Helen, one on each side of him, they coloured with pleasure as he addressed a gentle word, first to one, then to the other; and when, after entering the drawing-room, he left them for the purpose of making his farewell bow, or the semblance of it, to Mrs. Mowbray, Miss Louisa whispered to Miss Charlotte, "Little Mary is quite right: he _is_ the most delightful man in the world." "You are not going to leave us, Mr. Cartwright?" said Mrs. Mowbray kindly. "We are going to tea this moment." "You are very obliging; but I had no intention of intruding on you thus." "Pray do not call it an intrusion. We shall be always most happy to see you. I only wish your son and daughter were with us also." "My daughter, thank you, is a sad invalid; and Jacob generally wanders farther afield in such weather as this.... Is that gentleman Major Dalrymple? May I ask you to introduce me?"