Page:The Reverberator (2nd edition, American issue, London and New York, Macmillan & Co., 1888).djvu/70

60 that no one can possibly think of me half as much, as you do. Therefore if there is to be any comfort for either of us we had both much better just go on as we are." She did not however on this occasion, meet her sister with this syllogism, because there happened to be a certain fascination in the way Delia set forth the great truth that the star of matrimony, for the American girl, was now shining in the east—in England and France and Italy. They had only to look round anywhere to see it: what did they hear of every day in the week but of the engagement of one of their own compeers to some count or some lord? Delia insisted on the fact that it was in that vast, vague section of the globe to which she never alluded save as "over here" that the American girl was now called upon to play, under providence, her part. When Francie remarked that Mr. Probert was not a count nor a lord her sister rejoined that she didn't care whether he was or not. To this Francie replied that she herself didn't care but that Delia ought to, to be consistent.

"Well, he's a prince compared with Mr. Flack," Delia declared.

"He hasn't the same ability; not half."

"He has the ability to have three sisters who are just the sort of people I want you to know."

"What good will they do me?" Francie asked. "They'll hate me. Before they could turn round