yesterday morning, Miss Carlyle."

"Is all the finery coming out to-day?" gravely inquired Mr. Carlyle, as
Barbara turned with them toward the church, and he walked by her side
and his sister's, for he had an objection, almost invincible as a
Frenchman's, to give his arm to two ladies.

"Of course," replied Barbara. "First impression is everything, you know,
and the earl and his daughter will be coming to church."

"Suppose she should not be in peacock's plumes?" cried Miss Carlyle,
with an imperturbable face.

"Oh! But she is sure to be--if you mean richly dressed," cried Barbara,
hastily.

"Or, suppose they should not come to church?" laughed Mr. Carlyle. "What
a disappointment to the bonnets and feathers!"

"After all, Barbara, what are they to us, or we to them?" resumed Miss
Carlyle. "We may never meet. We insignificant West Lynne gentry shall
not obtrude ourselves into East Lynne. It would scarcely be fitting--or
be deemed so by the earl and Lady Isabel."

"That's just how papa went on," grumbled Barbara. "He caught sight of
this bonnet yesterday; and when, by way of excuse, I said I had it to
call on them, he asked whether I thought the obscure West Lynne families
would venture to thrust their calls on Lord Mount Severn, as though they
were of the county aristocracy. It was the feather that put him out."