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150 "Surely, Lady Anne," replied he, "you cannot have forgotten our last conversation. I have only obeyed your wishes." "Oh!" cried her ladyship, "you quite mistook my meaning. I was only anxious that, as you declared you were not the lover of one of my girls, people, in general, should not consider you as such; you know the world has no sympathy with romantic friendships; it does not understand them." "Perhaps," said Mr. Glentworth, "the world might not approve of a man of my age assuming the character of lover to one of your young and pretty daughters." "Your age!" exclaimed Lady Anne; "what does a lover's age matter? who thinks of a person's age under such circumstances?" "The young ladies themselves might," returned he. "Young ladies thinking!" cried Lady Anne; "I have no notion of any such nonsense." "To come to the point, however," said Mr. Glentworth, abruptly, "my business this morning is to ask, 'have I your permission to address one of the Misses Granard?'" Lady Anne was silent a moment from sheer delight; she had taken the right method after all; what a triumph over Lady Penrhyn! And so Mary—for she instantly decided that it was her—would be married at last! Her congratulations soon found words.