Meanwhile, Mrs. Marchmont, still inexhaustible on the subject of Lady Glenfeld's merits, yet, in her secret heart, somewhat surprised, after beholding the splendid beauty of Isabel that her sister should have forestalled her at the ‘connubial altar,’ accompanied Mrs. Le Strange to her apartment when she retired at night, and dismissing the maid till she was rung for, sat down near the toilette, and thus abruptly began: /

‘My dear Augusta, you must tell me how you brought about this charming marriage! Where did Lord Glenfeld first become acquainted with Bertha? And how was he induced to select her in preference to any of the others? Tell me – how did you manage it?’

‘I did not manage it at all, Mary: from first to last the affair was wholly of his own doing.’

‘But where did the courtship begin? At whose house did they meet? Did he never see her sisters till after he had proposed? Was he caught by her without being influenced by you, or any other friend?’

‘I again repeat, that I exerted no influence whatever. He never saw her but under my roof; her sisters were always in the house with her; and yet, as you find, she carried off the prize!’

‘Well, – I thought that in these days – especially in England – so much manœuvring was necessary to get a girl well married, unless resplendently beautiful, or immensely rich – / that I was curious to know how the case had stood in the present instance.’

After a little further trifling with the patience of her auditress, Mrs. Le Strange was at length induced to enter into some detail.

‘I do not know,’ she began, ‘whether you saw, about three months ago an account in the English newspapers of the overturn of Mr. Stanmore whilst travelling rapidly along the northern road on the way towards his own place in Yorkshire.