Mr. Gage looked earnestly at her for a few moments, and then moved away.
"Hark you, ma mie," said Harriet, leaning towards Margaret, "you would hardly believe how I long for a good laugh at this moment. I know George so well!—Now, he has actually taken the trouble to get leave of absence as soon as ever he heard of this marriage, and to come over here to see how I bear the shock of Lord Raymond's marriage. He believes me a disappointed wretch; and that the very good spirits I am in to-night are merely forced, to conceal the anguish of a breaking heart;" and Harriet, unable any longer to restrain her laughter, fell back in her chair, and gave way to one burst of merriment after another.
"Did you see, Margaret, how he fixed his eyes upon me to detect, if he could, the constraint I was putting on my feelings; how he watched for some trace of suffering in my voice; something to betray the anguish within; and the stress he laid on Lord Raymond, as if he would have asked how I liked parting with my especial property. I would not have missed this scene for any thing in life!"
"Oh, Harriet! do not laugh so. He is looking at you!"
"No great wonder in that, my dear, since he has come all the way from Ireland for that especial purpose."
"Mr. Gage! I wish to show you the bracelet Lord Raymond gave me on the morning of his marriage. Look! this is Lucy's hair. I told him not to put any of his straw-coloured stuff along with it, to spoil the effect. I rather like those dolphins fretted with rubies; they have an eastern look. He would clasp it on, over my swansdown cuff, and I did not like to take it off, though I had the pleasure of telling him he had done me an incredible deal of mischief."
Mr. Gage stood looking attentively at the bracelet, which she had unclasped, and given into his hand.
"Do you not think it very handsome?" she said.
"Very. It would almost have reconciled you to the match had you been averse to it," said Mr. Gage.
"It did not reconcile me to his crushing my beautiful swansdown," said Harriet. "Here, give it me; you cannot put it on. Margaret shall clasp it."