put to rights, too. You wouldn't have her go to see my aunt in that
sailor's costume she used to rush about in up in Lewis?"

"That is precisely what I would have," said Ingram: "she cannot look
more handsome in any other dress."

"Why, my aunt would fancy I had married a savage: I believe she fears
something of the sort now."

"And you haven't told even her that you are in London?"

"No."

"Well, Lavender, that is a precious silly performance. Suppose she
hears of your being in town, what will you say to her?"

"I should tell her I wanted a few days to get my wife properly dressed
before taking her about."

Ingram shrugged his shoulders: "Perhaps you are right. Perhaps,
indeed, it would be better if you waited six months before you
introduced Sheila to your friends. At present you seem to be keeping
the footlights turned down until everything is ready for the first
scene, and then Sheila is to burst upon society in a blaze of light
and color. Well, that is harmless enough; but look here! You don't
know much about her yet: you will be mainly anxious to hear what the
audience, as it were, say of her; and there is just a chance of your
adopting their impressions and opinions of Sheila, seeing that you
have no very fixed ones of your own. Now, what your social circle may
think about her is a difficult thing to decide; and I confess I would