"Well, then, I was thinking of a gentleman." "And so was I," replied Caroline. "Mine was a very handsome, clever young man." "And so was mine," replied she. "But I am not smitten with him," continued I. "I cannot answer that question," replied Caroline, "because I do not know who you were thinking about." "You must answer the question as to the gentleman you were thinking of, Caroline. I repeat that I am not smitten with him, and that his name is Mr Charles Selwyn." "I was also thinking of Mr Charles Selwyn," replied Caroline. "And you are not smitten with him any more than I am, or he is with you?" continued I, smiling, and looking her full in the face. Caroline coloured, and said, "I like him very much from what I have seen of him, Valerie; but recollect our acquaintance has been very short." "A very proper answer, my dear Caroline, and given with due maidenly decorum--but here we are; and there is Madame Gironac nodding to us from the window." The next day, Caroline went back to Mrs Bradshaw's, and I did not see her till the music-lesson of Wednesday afterwards. Caroline, who had been watching for me, met me at the door. "Oh! Valerie, I have a great deal to tell. In the first place, the establishment is in an uproar at the disappearance of Adele Chabot, who has removed her clothes, and gone off without beat of drum. One of the maids states that she has several times seen her walking and talking with a tall gentleman, and Mrs Bradshaw thinks that the reputation of her school is ruined by Adele's flight. She has drunk at least two bottles of eau-de-Cologne and water to keep off the hysterics, and is now lying on the sofa, talking in a very incoherent way. Miss Phipps says she thinks her head is affected." "I should think it was," replied I. "Well, is that all?" "All! why, Valerie, you appear to think nothing of an elopement. All! why is it not horrible?" "I do not think it very horrible, Caroline; but I am glad to find that you have such correct ideas on that point, as it satisfies me that nothing would induce you to take such a step." "Well," replied Caroline, quickly, "what I had also to communicate is, that I have seen my father, who informed me that on their return from Brighton in October, they expect that I will come home. He said that it was high time that I was settled in life, and that I could not expect to be married if I remained at a boarding-school." "Well, and what did you say?" "I said that I did not expect to be married, and I did not wish it; that I thought my education was far from complete, and that I wished to improve myself." "Well?" "Then he said that he should submit to my caprices no longer, and that I should go back in October, as he had decided." "Well?" "Well, I said no more, and he went away." Having received all this intelligence, I went up stairs. I found Mrs Bradshaw crying bitterly, and she threw herself into my arms.