pining away all the time and saying nothing about it."

"Nothing beyond a demure inquiry of me when we were alone together,
after the health of the General. Well, you know how well his reading
succeeded; he took a double first class, and very proud of him we
were."

"And still he saw nothing of her," said Fred.

"Not till some time after he had been settled in his chambers at the
Temple. Now you must know that General St. Leger, though in most
matters a wise man, was not by any means so in money matters: and by
some unlucky speculation which was to have doubled his daughter's
fortune, managed to lose the whole of it, leaving little but his pay."

"Capital!" cried Frederick, "that brings her down to him."

"So it did," said his mother, smiling; "but the spectators did not
rejoice quite so heartily as you do. The general's health was failing,
and it was hard to think what would become of Beatrice; for Lord St.
Leger's family, though very kind, were not more congenial than they are
now. As soon as all this was pretty well known, Geoffrey spoke, and
the general, who was very fond of him, gave full consent. They meant
to wait until it was prudent, of course, and were well contented; but
just after it was all settled, the general had a sudden seizure, and
died. Geoffrey was with him, and he treated him like a son, saying it
was his great comfort to know that her happiness was in his hands.
Poor Beatrice, she went first to the St. Legers, stayed with them two
or three months, then I would have her to be my bridesmaid, though"--
and Mrs. Langford tried to smile, while again she strangled a sobbing