MR. NORLAND DEPARTS.

93

when he meant to leave himself, and I expect will go off some morning without a word to any one.'

They saw nothing of Mr. Norland for some days; and one morning Georgie burst into the room where her mother, sister, and Constance were seated at breakfast, with—

'Oh, mamma! he is gone; Mr. Norland is gone! Joseph was in the village, and he saw him pass in the dog-cart, with the light cart behind with all his luggage; and the man who drove the luggage told Joseph he was going to Southampton to embark in some ship.'

Sit down, my dear,' said Mrs Walton. 'I dare say Joseph's news is true; but it makes me very sad thus to see one after another go away from his home. Next, I suppose, we shall hear of new-comers.'

'Will you call on them, whoever they are, mamma?' said Georgie.

'I do not know,' said her mother. 'I do not yet like to think about them. There will be time enough when we hear they are come.'

If they are manufacturers,' said Constance, they are, I suppose, very vulgar people. I should not think you would know them, Mrs Walton.'

'But I do not think it follows at all, dear Constance,' said Mrs. Walton, 'that they are to be vulgar, because they are, or have been, manufacturers. Pray,

try to put that prejudice away from you. We shall take these new-comers as we find them; and should their manners and habits be what are termed vulgar, do not let us forget that a great deal of good may lie hidden under a bad manner. Do not judge them

hastily, whatever they may be.'

The three girls could not help feeling much curiosity on the score of the new-comers. It so happened that they were all driving with Mrs. Walton along the road to the nearest station, when they met the wellknown close carriage from the Abbey, followed by a phaeton, conveying the new family to their abode. Constance turned away her head as they passed the phaeton.

'My dear mamma's favourite carriage,' she said, as tears started to her eyes; 'I cannot bear to see it occupied and used by other people. So he has even left the carriages and everything for the use of these people !'

'But not your horse, Constance, not any of the horses; they were all sold before he went away, if that is any comfort to you.'

'Yes, it really is,' replied Constance. 'I would rather they were sold quite away, than to be constantly seeing them here.'

'Dear mamma,' said Georgie, 'I know you will say I had no business to stare at them, but I could not

THE NEW-COMERS.

95

help seeing that there was a girl in the carriage, quite a young girl, and two other ladies and a gentleman. Now, Agnes, please say that you saw them too.'

'I did see a girl,' said Agnes, laughing; she was looking out of the window on our side. And two more gentlemen and some servants were in the phaeton.'

'Then, Georgie,' said her mother, as you have seen for yourself precisely who is arrived, there is no occasion for you to consult Joseph on the subject. Though I have nothing at all to say against Joseph, I wish you were a little less fond of gossiping with him.'

'I will not gossip with him any more, dear mamma,’ cried Georgie; but you will go and call on the lady who is just come to the Abbey, will you not?'

'I shall probably go in about the course of a week, but I shall not be in a hurry to fly there the moment they are arrived; so exercise your patience.'

Georgie, Constance, and the New-comers-Constance is affronted and vexed that her Father's Home is let to Manufacturers -Agnes goes with her Mother to the Abbey-Her Description of Nellie-Mrs. Ashby calls with her DaughterConstance's Prejudice.

ROW quiet you are, Agnes!' exclaimed Georgie,

as they sat at their lessons in the little

study; 'you can go on just as quietly as

I have

if nothing out of the way had happened. been watching you for the last five minutes exactly, by Constance's little clock, and you were evidently thinking of nothing but that bit of Schiller. While, on the contrary-'

'You cannot fix your attention for two minutes on your exercise,' said Agnes, laughing. It is only the difference in our natures. You are easily excited, and are fond of new things; I do not care for new things.'

'But Constance too is not attentive this morning,'

CONSTANCE'S INDIGNATION.

97

said Georgie; 'she has taken three or four new pens, and she has first tried a French book, and then a German book, and after all has done nothing.'

'I can make allowance for Constance,' said Agnes, stroking her long flaxen hair; I know that she is thinking, "These vulgar new people are now in my dear mamma's drawing-room, using her piano and her books, and sitting in her low chair, while she is on the rough sea in a confined ship." I do not wonder that her mind should wander from study; but you, Georgie, are downright idle. You have no excuse for inattention.’

'None,' said Georgie, laughing. I confess that I have none, excepting that I am in a fever of curiosity to see that girl.'

'And I,' said Constance, 'have a perfect dread of seeing her. She will be put in possession of my room; and I tell you, Georgie, if you make friends with her, and go there to visit her, I decidedly will not go too. I could not bear it. I should not have cared half so much if they had been a good family, well-born people; but I cannot endure that traders should be put in our place.' And Constance's eyes filled with indignant tears.

'Dear Constance,' said Agnes, do not let them come into your head at all. You may be quite sure that if they are unpleasant people, mamma will do no

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