'Eleanor's marriage,' said Mrs. Chadwick. 'Her mother being dead, and I being the elder and married sister, I look upon myself as responsible for that girl's future, and that responsibility naturally involves the choice of a proper husband for her. I thought I had succeeded in finding such a person, a gentleman of exceptional cultivation and refinement, and one whose position in society could not be questioned. The gentleman to whom I allude is well known to you, my dear friend; and I am sure you will indorse every word I say about him--I mean Mr. Spiridion Pratt.' The commencement of the sentence had prepared Mrs. Hamblin for the announcement of the name, so she said very quietly, 'Mr. Pratt? His would be a most eligible connection, and I don't think you have extolled his position or his merits at all too highly. And were his views the same as yours in regard to the matter? Of course as a known connoisseur he would admire Miss Irvine's beauty; but was he generally attracted by her?' 'Completely. I never saw a more thorough case of genuine admiration and affection,' said Mrs. Chadwick, whose manner was a little intensified by the knowledge that every word she said conveyed a stab to her dear friend. 'For weeks past he has constantly sought every opportunity of meeting her, and of paying her the most marked attention, and yesterday he proposed to her.' Mrs. Hamblin's face was admirably made up, delicately and most artistically, but she obviously paled under her rouge. 'Proposed to her!' she repeated in a flat and unnatural tone. 'Miss Irvine is to be congratulated on having snared so wary a bird.' '"Snared" is scarcely the term,' said Mrs. Chadwick indignantly; 'it isn't likely that anything like artifice would have been resorted to in this house, as the result will prove.' 'The word was inadvertently chosen, but I meant no offence,' said Mrs. Hamblin. 'Pray tell me what was the result.' 'Eleanor refused him--refused him, my dear friend!' said Mrs. Chadwick, who was easily mollified. 'When I came home yesterday afternoon I found her in tears. She told me what had happened, and hoped she would never again be exposed to such an ordeal.' 'What a very primitive person!' said Mrs. Hamblin, with icy composure. 'Did Miss Irvine state the nature of her objection to the proposition she had received?' 'She said, generally, that she liked Mr. Pratt, had always found him gentlemanly, kind, and pleasant; but that she had not, nor ever could have, any idea of marrying him. I was at first so completely overwhelmed that I could not give the matter proper thought,' said Mrs. Chadwick; 'but since writing to you I have come to the conclusion that Eleanor is acting under advice in what she did.' 'And who do you suspect is her adviser?' asked Mrs. Hamblin. 'A person whose name I have forbidden to be mentioned in this house,' replied Mrs. Chadwick, 'but with whom Eleanor was very intimate in her early youth--I mean Lady Forestfield.'