'Well, well, that is all right,' interrupted
my mother; 'of course you must be
modest upon the matter; but listen to me
for a few moments, my love, and I will
prove to your satisfaction that your modesty
is quite unnecessary in this case. You
have done better than we could have hoped,
at least so very soon. Lord Glenfallen is
in love with you. I give you joy of your
conquest;' and saying this, my mother
kissed my forehead.

'In love with me!' I exclaimed, in
unfeigned astonishment.

'Yes, in love with you,' repeated my
mother; 'devotedly, distractedly in love
with you. Why, my dear, what is there
wonderful in it? Look in the glass, and look
at these,' she continued, pointing with a
smile to the jewels which I had just
removed from my person, and which now
lay a glittering heap upon the table.

'May there not,' said I, hesitating
between confusion and real alarm--'is it not
possible that some mistake may be at the
bottom of all this?'