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"I quite agree with you, Alban; Honoria Vipont is a very superior younglady."
"I knew you would think so!" cried the Colonel, with more warmth thanusual to him.
"Many years since," resumed Darrell, with reflective air, "I read MissEdgeworth's novels; and in conversing with Miss Honoria Vipont, methinksI confer with one of Miss Edgeworth's heroines—so rational, so prudent,so well-behaved—so free from silly romantic notions—so replete withsolid information, moral philosophy and natural history—so sure toregulate her watch and her heart to the precise moment, for the one tostrike, and the other to throb—and to marry at last a respectable steadyhusband, whom she will win with dignity, and would lose with decorum! Avery superior girl indeed."
["Darrell speaks—not the author. Darrell is unjust to the more exquisite female characters of a Novelist, admirable for strength of sense, correctness of delineation, terseness of narrative, and lucidity of style-nor less admirable for the unexaggerated nobleness of sentiment by which some of her heroines are notably distinguished.]
"Though your description of Miss Vipont is satirical," said Alban Morley,smiling, in spite of some irritation, "yet I will accept it as panegyric;for it conveys, unintentionally, a just idea of the qualities that makean intelligent coinpanion and a safe wife. And those are the qualitieswe must look to, if we marry at our age. We are no longer boys," addedthe Colonel sententiously.
DARRELL.—"Alas, no! I wish we were. But the truth of your remark isindisputable. Ah, look! Is not that a face which might make anoctogenarian forget that he is not a boy?—what regular features!—and what a blush!"
The friends were riding in the park; and as Darrell spoke, he bowed to ayoung lady, who, with one or two others, passed rapidly by in a barouche.It was that very handsome young lady to whom Lionel had seen himlistening so attentively in the great crowd, for which Carr Vipont'sfamily party had been deserted.
Yes; Lady Adela is one of the loveliest girls in Loudon," said theColonel, who had also lifted his hat as the barouche whirled by—"andamiable too: I have known her ever since she was born. Her father and Iare great friends—an excellent man but stingy. I had much difficulty inarranging the eldest girl's marriage with Lord Bolton, and am a trusteein the settlement. If you feel a preference for Lady Adela, though Idon't think she would suit you so well as Miss Vipont, I will answer forher father's encouragement and her consent. 'Tis no drawback to you,though it is to most of her admirers, when I add, 'There's nothing withher!'"
"And nothing in her! which is worse," said Darrell.
"Still, it is pleasant to gaze on a beautiful landscape, even though thesoil be barren."
COLONEL MORLEY.—"That depends upon whether you are merely the artisticspectator of the landscape, or the disappointed proprietor of the soil."
"Admirable!" said Darrell; "you have disposed of Lady Adela. So ho! soho!" Darrell's horse (his old high-nettled horse, freshly sent to himfrom Fawley, and in spite of the five years that had added to its age, ofspirit made friskier by long repose) here put down its ears lashed out—and indulged in a bound which would have unseated many a London rider.A young Amazon, followed hard by some two or three