he concluded the servants, who were gone with their lady, were the persons she wanted, and thought it was hardly likely they should be great customers, but it might happen they were useful ones; he wished he had bought the contents of her basket.
Disinclined to read, and slowly pacing the drawing-room, Lord Meersbrook, after looking earnestly at two small pictures, by old masters, which had someway escaped from their brethren, which were heirlooms at Granard Park, he at length began to examine the works of ingenuity which adorned the mantel; they were various in form, and some of them considerably the worse for time, but two hand-screens were quite new, and exhibited in front two well-executed bunches of wild flowers; at the back were the initials of H. G. and G. G., traced in cipher by a trailing plant.
"Poor Arthur! if you could hold this in your hand as I do, it would be absolutely inspiring, and we should have a sonnet to your mistress's eyebrow, or her crow's foot; they are very neatly and faithfully executed, but I think Miss Helen's the more tastefully arranged; indeed, she is a very superior young woman; how much good feeling she showed that night at the opera! I shall never forget her sweet sisterly sorrow." How true it is, that one little incident of no great moment in itself may unlock a bosom, in which you may find gems of value, that were not suspected previously!
"Please, my lord, there is a very nice fire in the dining parlour."
