Lilian. I asked them to meet you all here to-night; but Mrs. Ashleigh
was tired. The last of the furniture was to arrive today; and though dear
Mrs. Ashleigh is an undecided character, she is not inactive. But it is
not only the planning where to put tables and chairs that would have
tried her today: she has had Mr. Vigors on her hands all the afternoon,
and he has been--here's her little note--what are the words? No doubt
'most overpowering and oppressive;' no, 'most kind and attentive,'--
different words, but, as applied to Mr. Vigors, they mean the same thing.

"And now, next Monday---we must leave them in peace till then--you
will all call on the Ashleighs. The Hill knows what is due to itself; it
cannot delegate to Mr. Vigors, a respectable man indeed, but who does
not belong to its set, its own proper course of action towards those
who would shelter themselves on its bosom. The Hill cannot be kind and
attentive, overpowering or oppressive by proxy. To those newborn
into its family circle it cannot be an indifferent godmother; it has
towards them all the feelings of a mother,--or of a stepmother, as
the case may be. Where it says 'This can be no child of mine,' it is a
stepmother indeed; but in all those whom I have presented to its
arms, it has hitherto, I am proud to say, recognized desirable
acquaintances, and to them the Hill has been a mother. And now,
my dear Mr. Sloman, go to your rubber; Poyntz is impatient, though he
don't show it. Miss Brabazon, love, we all long to see you seated
at the piano,--you play so divinely! Something gay, if you please;
something gay, but not very noisy,--Mr. Leopold Symthe will turn the
leaves for you. Mrs. Bruce, your own favourite set at vingt-un, with
four new recruits. Dr. Fenwick, you are like me, don't play cards, and
don't care for music; sit here, and talk or not, as you please, while I
knit."