Yet when she reached home she was half shy of telling her sisters the
engagement she had made. Selina was extremely shocked, and considered
it quite necessary that the London Directory, the nearest clergyman,
or, perhaps, Mr. Ascott, who living in the parish, must know--should
be consulted as to Miss Balquidder's respectability.

"She has much more reason to question ours," recollected Hilary, with
some amusement; for I never told her my name or address. She does not
know a single thing about me.

Which fact, arguing the matter energetic ally two days after, the
young lady might not have been so sure of, could she have penetrated
the ceiling overhead. In truth, Miss Balquidder, a prudent person,
who never did things by halves, and, like most truly generous people,
was cautious even in her extremist fits of generosity, at that very
moment was sitting in Mrs. Jones's first floor, deliberately
discovering every single thing possible to be learned about the Leaf
family.

Nevertheless, owing to Selina's indignant pertinacity, Hilary's own
hesitation, and a dim hope of a pupil which rose up and faded like
the rest, the possible acquaintance lay dormant for two or three
weeks; till, alas! the fabulous wolf actually came to the door; and
the sisters, after paying their week's rent, looked aghast at one
another, not knowing where in the wide world the next week's rent was
to come from.

"Thank God, we don't owe any thing: not a penny!" gasped Hilary.

"No; there is comfort in that," said Johanna. And the expression of