"In love with me!" I exclaimed, in unfeigned astonishment.

"Yes, in love with you," repeated my mother; "devotedly, distractedly
in love with you. Why, my dear, what is there wonderful in it; look in
the glass, and look at these," she continued, pointing with a smile to
the jewels which I had just removed from my person, and which now lay
a glittering heap upon the table.

"May there not," said I, hesitating between confusion and real alarm;
"is it not possible that some mistake may be at the bottom of all
this?"

"Mistake! dearest; none," said my mother. "None, none in the world;
judge for yourself; read this, my love," and she placed in my hand a
letter, addressed to herself, the seal of which was broken. I read
it through with no small surprise. After some very fine complimentary
flourishes upon my beauty and perfections, as, also, upon the
antiquity and high reputation of our family, it went on to make
a formal proposal of marriage, to be communicated or not to me at
present, as my mother should deem expedient; and the letter wound up
by a request that the writer might be permitted, upon our return to
Ashtown-house, which was soon to take place, as the spring was now
tolerably advanced, to visit us for a few days, in case his suit was
approved.

"Well, well, my dear," said my mother, impatiently; "do you know who
Lord Glenfallen is?"

"I do, madam," said I rather timidly, for I dreaded an altercation
with my mother.