she wished to hear; and an instinctive feeling that it was not, kept
Mrs. Costello from speaking. She laid her hand gently upon her child's
head and remained silent. Lucia was silent, also. She wanted her mother
to talk, yet hesitated to ask her the questions she wanted answered. At
last she said abruptly,

"Mamma, did you _ever_ gossip?"

Mrs. Costello laughed.

"Do you think I never do now, then? I am afraid I cannot say as much for
myself."

"I never hear you. But when you were a girl, you must have heard things
about people."

"No doubt I did. And I suppose that, as I lived in almost as quiet a
neighbourhood as this, I must have been curious and interested about a
new-comer, much as you are."

Lucia turned her head a little, and smiled to herself.

"And then?" she said.

"Then most likely I asked questions, and found out all I could about the
new-comer, which, I suppose, you have been doing about Mr. Percy. Bella
Latour ought to be a good authority."

"I have not asked any questions. I thought perhaps you might know
something about him, or at least about his family."