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 they were welcome to see as much of each other as they liked.

Willis, in former days, would not have observed whether anybody spoke to his sisters-in-law or not; but some change had come over the spirit of his very melancholy dream. He looked more at what was passing around him, and less at his own petty grievances, It generally appeared that he had been dining with the Sampsons, or calling on them; and he talked of the necessity of giving a great fête at Columbia Lodge, to return the civilities that had been shown to him; and, to the unutterable surprise of Janet and Rose, announced that he had had the pianoforte tuned, on which poor Mary had been used to play some little tunes that sounded like the wailings of a moulting linnet. "And if you will bring your music, girls, it will be a great treat for—" and then he added in one of his old querulous tones, "for the Baroness."

The girls were much flattered that Charles should think their singing a treat for anybody,