"In this abode of the graces and rural sublunaries," continued Miss Sallianna, gently flirting her fan, "our young friends seem to lead a very happy life."
"Yes—I suppose so."
"Indeed, madam, I may say the time passes for them in a golden cadence of salubrious delights," said Miss Sallianna.
Her visitor inclined her head.
"If we could only exclude completely all thoughts of the opposite sex—"
Miss Lavinia listened with some interest to this peroration. "If we could live far from the vain world of man—"
The solemn head indicated a coincidence of opinion.
"If we could but dedicate ourselves wholly to the care of our little flock, we should be felicitous," continued Miss Sallianna. "But, alas! they will come to see us, madam, and we cannot exclude the dangerous enemy. I am often obliged to send word that I am not 'at home' to the beaux, and yet that is very cruel. But duty is my guide, and I bow to its bequests."
With which words, Miss Sallianna fixed her eyes resignedly upon the ceiling, and was silent. If Miss Lavinia had labored under the impression that Miss Sallianna designed to utter any complaints about Redbud, she did not show that such had been her expectation. She only bowed and said, politely, that if her little cousin Redbud was disengaged, she should like to see her.
"Oh yes! she is disengaged," said Miss Sallianna, with a languishing smile; "the dear child has been roaming over the garden and around the ensuing hills since the first appearance of the radiant orb of Sol, madam. I think such perambulations healthy."