"I consider no proceeding extraordinary Lady Lundie, which emanates from
your enchanting sex."

He bowed, and took his pinch. With a little jaunty flourish of the hand,
he dusted the stray grains of snuff off his finger and thumb, and looked
back again at the lawn-party, and became more absorbed in the diversions
of his young friends than ever.

Lady Lundie stood her ground, plainly determined to force a serious
expression of opinion from her brother-in-law. Before she could speak
again, Arnold and Blanche appeared together at the bottom of the steps.
"And when does the dancing begin?" inquired Sir Patrick, advancing to
meet them, and looking as if he felt the deepest interest in a speedy
settlement of the question.

"The very thing I was going to ask mamma," returned Blanche. "Is she in
there with Anne? Is Anne better?"

Lady Lundie forthwith appeared, and took the answer to that inquiry on
herself.

"Miss Silvester has retired to her room. Miss Silvester persists in
being ill. Have you noticed, Sir Patrick, that these half-bred sort of
people are almost invariably rude when they are ill?"

Blanche's bright face flushed up. "If you think Anne a half-bred person,
Lady Lundie, you stand alone in your opinion. My uncle doesn't agree
with you, I'm sure."

Sir Patrick's interest in the first quadrille became almost painful to