"No such catastrophe is likely to happen to any of us, except,
perhaps, to Elizabeth," said Miss Hilary, trying to get up, a little
feeble mirth, any thing to pass away the time and lessen the pain of
parting, which was almost too much for Johanna. "What do you say? Do
you mean to get married in London, Elizabeth?"

But Elizabeth could make no answer, even to kind Miss Hilary. They
had not imagined she felt the leaving her native place so much. She
had watched intently the last glimpse of Stowbury church tower, and
now sat with reddened eyes, staring blankly out of the carriage
window,

"Silent as a stone."

Once or twice a large slow tear gathered on each of her eyes, but it
was shaken off angrily from the high check bones, and never settled
into absolute crying. They thought it best to take no notice of her.
Only, when reaching the new small station, where the "resonant steam
eagles" were, for the first time, beheld by the innocent Stowbury
ladies, there arose a discussion as to the manner of traveling. Miss
Leaf said, decidedly "Second class; and then we can keep Elizabeth
with us." Upon which Elizabeth's mouth melted into something between
a quiver and a smile.

Soon it was all over, and the little house-hold was compressed into
the humble second class carriage, cheerless and cushionless, whirling
through indefinite England in a way that confounded all their
geography and topography. Gradually as the day darkened into heavy,
chilly July rain, the scarcely kept up spirits of the four passengers