The proposed engagement with Lady Fawn was thought to be a great thing for
her. Lady Fawn was known as a miracle of Virtue, Benevolence, and
Persistency. Every good quality she possessed was so marked as to be
worthy of being expressed with a capital. But her virtues were of that
extraordinary high character that there was no weakness in them; no
getting over them; no perverting them with follies, or even exaggerations.
When she heard of the excellencies of Miss Morris from the dean's wife,
and then, after minutest investigation, learned the exact qualities of the
young lady, she expressed herself willing to take Lucy into her house on
special conditions. She must be able to teach music up to a certain point.

"Then it's all over," said Lucy to the dean with her pretty smile--that
smile which caused all the old and middle-aged men to fall in love with
her.

"It's not over at all," said the dean. "You've got four months. Our
organist is about as good a teacher as there is in England. You are clever
and quick, and he shall teach you."

So Lucy went to Bobsborough and was afterwards accepted by Lady Fawn.

While she was at the deanery there sprung up a renewed friendship between
her and Lizzie. It was indeed chiefly a one-sided friendship; for Lucy,
who was quick and unconsciously capable of reading that book to which we
alluded in a previous chapter, was somewhat afraid of the rich widow. And
when Lizzie talked to her of their old childish days, and quoted poetry,
and spoke of things romantic--as she was much given to do--Lucy felt that
the metal did not ring true. And then Lizzie had an ugly habit of abusing
all her other friends behind their backs. Now Lucy did not like to hear
the Greystocks abused, and would say so. "That's all very well, you little