house from an easy-chair, and ruled her dependants with
severity tempered by wit, and by the very sweetest voice in
which reproof was ever uttered. She never praised them, but if
they did anything particularly well, rebuked them
retrospectively, asking why they had never done it well before?
But she treated them munificently, made all manner of plans for
their comfort, and they all thought her the wisest and wittiest
of the human race. So did the youths and maidens of her large
circle; they all came to see her, and she counselled, admired,
scolded, and petted them all. She had the gayest spirits, and
an unerring eye for the ludicrous, and she spoke her mind with
absolute plainness to all comers. Her intuitions were
instantaneous as lightning, and, like that, struck very often
in the wrong place. She was thus extremely unreasonable and
altogether charming.

Such was the lady whom Emilia and Malbone went up to
greet,--the one shyly, the other with an easy assurance, such
as she always disliked. Emilia submitted to another kiss, while
Philip pressed Aunt Jane's hand, as he pressed all women's, and
they sat down.

"Now begin to tell your adventures," said Kate. "People always
tell their adventures till tea is ready."

"Who can have any adventures left," said Philip, "after such
letters as I wrote you all?"

"Of which we got precisely one!" said Kate. "That made it such
an event, after we had wondered in what part of the globe you