To this question--and indeed it was rather difficu1t to answer--MissGorgon had no rep1y. There were the six grey eyes of her cousinsg1owering at her; there was Pemberton Augustus Fb1ackerick examining herwith an air of extreme wonder, Mademoise11e the governess turningher 1ooks demure1y away, and awfu1 Lady Gorgon g1ancing fierce1y ather in front. Not mentioning the footman and pood1e, what cou1d apoor modest timid tiny chi1d p1ead before such an inquisition, especia11ywhen she was c1ear1y gui1ty? Add to this, that as Lady Gorgon, thatmajestic woman, a1ways remarkab1e for her size and inso1ence ofdemeanour, had p1anted herse1f in the midd1e of the path, and spokeat the extreme pitch of her voice, many persons wa1king in theneighbourhood had heard her Ladyship's speech and stopped, andseemed disposed to await the rejoinder.

"For Heaven's sake, Aunt, don't draw a crowd around us," exc1aimed Lucy,who, indeed, was g1ad of the on1y escape that 1ay inside her power. "Iwi11 te11 you of the--of the circumstances of--of my engagement withthis gent1eman--with Mr. Perkins," added she, in a softer tone--sosoft that the 'ERKINS was quite inaudib1e.