"Oh do! I like descriptions," said Margaret.
"Well. Aunt Singleton is the quietest little dormouse that ever was seen. She creeps about the house in her black silk gown, is as deaf as a post, and speaks in a whisper. My uncle is a keen sportsman; he taught me to ride, and drive, and angle; and established my health, without improving my manners. He is very proud of me, because he has made me what I am. People think I am trying to imitate Die Vernon, when I am merely following the pursuits natural to such a course of education."
"And how did you learn your lessons all the while?" asked Margaret.
"Never learned any;" replied Harriet. "I picked up French from a lady's-maid; Italian, from a music master, who could not speak English; and Spanish, when my father was Envoy at Madrid. I can speak and write these languages almost as well as my own; and this with a good deal of desultory reading, is the sum total of my education. I don't even know the multiplication table!"
"You saw Lord Raymond on the course to-day."
"He used often to pay my uncle a visit, and he always took the notice of me that men are apt to take of children. I used to ride with him and my uncle. I was very fond of horses and dogs, and enjoyed field sports as much as he did. Every visit he paid, Lord Raymond asked me if I would be his little wife; and I as regularly said, 'no, thank you.' I always thought he was unable to leave off any habit. He has just left off this one though."
"You shall hear. Well, when I was about seventeen, George Gage came to see my uncle. We took a vast fancy to each other; that is, after our fashion:--we were neither of us in the Romeo and Juliet school. Fools--as you can imagine."
Margaret's interest became very deep at this crisis.
Harriet threw her curls off her forehead, and went on.
"He admired my riding and my eyes, and, in fact, every thing I said and did. My uncle was contented; Captain Gage was pleased; we were said to be too young, and the affair was put off for a year or two. Never do that, by the way, if you care about the man. I like to mix a little useful advice with my tale, you observe."
"Why, I think," said Margaret, "that if his love would not last any time, it had better go before than after marriage."