A Duet in Paradise

        t outlook doo a boat- little lady in m, s are falling over to snap tremely abbreviated face of t, is no otep,    t of t oil-mill and t exteriviality in tion    your disment perceives at o ly    Lucy s tant as so ss back, raise     is so very nearly on a level    tle so say, `My scissors, please, if you    renou pleasure of perseg my poor Minny.

        too far over t seems, and    rapped fingers hopelessly.

        `found them off for me.

        `Draher hand, says Miss Lucy, roguishly.

        `O but ts my left    left-le touy tips, epition da capo. Accly, c    to his possession again.

        `No, no, said Lucy, stig t rai set Minny gro up and beell you some news.

        ` is t? said Step arm over t ting for rait, riking young man of five and ty,    dark-bro     t, ic glance from under al eyebro very important news?

        `Yes, very. Guess.

        `Yoing to d give afias soaked in a dessertspoonful of cream daily.

        `Quite wrong.

        `ell, t buckram, and you ladies ;trine; ;

        `For sing tle mout is rat to guess my ne is about sometioo you not very long ago.

        `But you ioned many to me not long ago. Does your femiyranny require t ely by t mark?

        `Yes, I knohink I am silly.

        `I tly charming.

        `And my silliness is part of my charm?

        `I didnt say t.

        `But I knoo be ratrayed you:    here.

        `O I kno -    quite a personal matter. I t be love-sick for some unknoed Beatrice w abroad.

        `By t    occurred to me t I    o see Pom    enter a room o sing lees, shall we?

        `, is your cousin ing to stay ep annoyance.

        `Yes; t en. So leave uation, ay hs, I hope.

        `And am I bound to be pleased at t news?

        `O no, not at all, said Lucy, tle air of pique. `I am pleased, but t, of course, is no reason whe world I love so well as my cousin Maggie.

        `And you ête-à-tête    is to P have been a resource.

        `It is a family quarrel ances, I believe - I never quite uood tulliver unate and lost all y, and I t. Mr akem bouge Mill, my uncles old place, ulliver, dont you?

        `No, said Step, apart from    detaced way.

        `-tempered man. I remember, o go to see my cousins, en frigalking as if old me t aken in many ered. But tom and Maggie must naturally feel it very painful to be reminded of trouble. Maggie    ses, and suation in a scermio be indepe, and not live    Pullet; and I could o e to me t is o me now, and have a long, long holiday.

        `Very s and angelic of you, said Step ional qualities of her.

        `Poor aunty! You are cruel to ridicule o me, I krao me in mammas illness.

        `Yes, but in point of panions sed by    er    in person, and    kind - a fat blonde girl, are at us silently.

        `O yes! exclaimed Lucy, laug is just my cousin Maggie. You must have seen her!

        `No, indeed: Im only guessing ullivers daug be. And to banisenor, t ional bore.

        `But I    may not be. I to call on Pell omorrooms feeling and al of and if you tell    I asked you to o e until I e to ask him.

        `I tter e a pretty note for me to take. Pive, you kno t frig all, and    o e to t like my sisters, I t is only your fa?ry tou lay hers.

        Stepered ttle    raying toable, and touc ligtle Lucy felt very proud aage of courts exquisite moment of yout blossom-time of passion - ion ual divinatioing t trivial est gesture, into te and delicious as ed jasmine st. tness of an e    edge of susceptibility: it is jasmied in a large bouquet.

        `But it is really odd t you s so exactly on Maggies appearand manners, said to rea    round eyes; and aring at people.

        `O, I suppose o be as proud as Lucifer. Not a brilliant panion, think.

        `I like tom.    Lolo. And papa is very fond of om    principles. It    o pay all s before he died.

        `O t; I alking about it a little erminable discussions about business. tulliver - urpin, t t toppage of a bank or somet sort. But I    time.

        Step, and sauo tto, `Graceful sort, as urned over tion, he desk.

        `e and sing this, he said, when he saw Lucy rising.

        `, "Graceful sort"? I dont t suits your voice.

        `Never mind; it exactly suits my feeling,    of good singing. I notice men    voices are usually of t opinion.

        `P into one of ives against "tion" ting    t    of sugared plad flattering make-believe in it, as if it ten for te of a German Grand Duke.

        `O pooemper. e are Adam and Eve unfallen - in paradise. Noative, for ty of ;And from obedience grows my pride and ;

        `O no, I s respe Adam o play t.

        Surely tss and fears must be t in ual fit springs from tes fulfilling expectation just at t momees of t accord of desding ted loving co supersede any immediate demand for less impassioned forms of agreement. tralto    care to cateor    oo, e time, ical principle must ion under suces; and a violin faito rotten b empted to fraternise in a demoralising -ted soprano, and toned bass, singing,

        `it is every ne bliss,

        believed .

        `No;s" to perfe.

        `t sounds plimentary, said Step early    one. ell, I    just sing this.

        Stepes representing tread of ts: - but iments. Minnys mistress tle to aste t    and scampered uest c eligible pla he crack of doom.

        `Adieu, "graceful sort," said Steptoning    across ronising lover to ttle lady on tool. `My bliss is not incessant, for I must gallop o be t lunch.

        `You    be able to call on P is of no sequence: I e.

        `You omorrow, I suppose?

        `Yes, o tle family party. My cousin tom y    time. It ty - I t deal about it.

        `But I may e t day?

        `O yes! e aroduced to my cousin Maggie - t to have seen her, - you have described her so well.

        `Good-by, t sligary meeting of ten leave a little lady    flus do not subside immediately o o seat ly at ional and improving occupation. At least t on Lucy; and you , I    an indication of vanity predominating over more tender impulses, t s glanced in t . to kno one    looked an absolute frigion may be strued as lying    sideration for oture t I am ined to ted , just as t altogeto you,    stle triump flutter of    at t s sunny benignity in e lost, and if s is because t of le affes and goodnatured offices    instantaneous alternation s of feeling or imagination seem simultaneous, is glang tinually from Stepo tions sreated as    lady visitor - nay, better, for s prints and dra of spring flo - sty t tulliver, t no one made any at of - so be surprised    of a cap of superlative quality, and to ifying manner, for     time to indulge in long reveries about    so paused there.

        `s tter, tooping in anso some ing     you? e, t us go and see Sindbad.

        Sindbad     surned out in t creatures, and kastes of all t ting in ttle rippling sounds of ain animals rivial, I will s.

        as not Step rig tee of    be likely to repent of marrying? - a    giving ts, but ifications, ing enjoyment of little pleasures prepared for tion did not fall precisely on t quality in    strike y. A man likes o be pretty: ty, but not to a maddenient. A man likes o be aplisle, affeate and not stupid; and Lucy ions. Step surprised to find    judgment in preferring o Miss Leyburn, ter of ty member, alter of e partner; besides, o defy and overe a sligment in ers - a circumstance ep o ake    siderations.    to ctle darling, aly t of woman    admired.
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