Page:Doctor Thorne.djvu/56

52 The bridesmaids' names had just been written on a card as Mary entered the room. There were the Ladies Amelia, Rosina, Margaretta, and Alexandrina of course at the head of it; then came Beatrice and the twins; then Miss Oriel, who, though only a parson's sister, was a person of note, birth, and fortune. After this there had been here a great discussion whether or not there should be any more. If there were to be one more there must be two. Now Miss Moffat had expressed a direct wish, and Augusta, though she would much rather have done without her, hardly knew how to refuse. Alexandrina—we hope we may be allowed to drop the 'lady,' for the sake of brevity, for the present scene only—was dead against such an unreasonable request. 'We none of us know her, you know; and it would not be comfortable.' Beatrice strongly advocated the future sister-in-law's acceptance into the bevy: she had her own reasons; she was pained that Mary Thorne should not be among the number, and if Miss Moffat were accepted, perhaps Mary might be brought in as her colleague.

'If you have Miss Moffat,' said Alexandrina, 'you must have dear little pussy, too; and I really think that pussy is too young; it will be troublesome.' Pussy was the youngest Miss Gresham, who was now only eight years old, and whose real name was Nina.

'Augusta,' said Beatrice, speaking with some slight hesitation, some soupçon of doubt, before the high authority of her noble cousin, 'if you do have Miss Moffat would you mind asking Mary Thorne to join her? I think Mary would like it, because, you see, Patience Oriel is to be one; and we have known Mary much longer than we have known Patience.'

Then out and spake the Lady Alexandrina.

'Beatrice, dear, if you think of what you are asking, I am sure you will see that it would not do; would not do at all. Miss Thorne is a very nice girl, I am sure; and, indeed, what little I have seen of her I highly approve. But, after all, who is she? Mamma, I know, thinks that Aunt Arabella has been wrong to let her be here so much, but—'

Beatrice became rather red in the face, and, in spite of the dignity of her cousin, was preparing to defend her friend.

'Mind, I am not saying a word against Miss Thorne.'

'If I am married before her, she shall be one of my bridesmaids,' said Beatrice.

'That will probably depend on circumstances,' said the Lady Alexandrina; I find that I cannot bring my courteous pen to drop the title. 'But Augusta is very peculiarly situated. Mr. Moffat is, you see, not of the very highest birth; and,