both ladies considerably louder than should be permitted to any debate which is not to end in blows.
The first words she caught, on her entrance, were, "I'll tell you what, ma'am, if you will make such an old fool of yourself, Dr. Clarke shall have no hand in it; he won't marry you."
"Dr. Clarke may wait till I ask him; and I tell you, once for all, I will not be dictated to by any body;—clever as you think yourself, you shall not manage me. And pray, Miss Emily, what brings you here?"
"A wish, madam, to at least endeavour to save you from taking a step so inconsistent with the respect you owe my uncle's memory. Surely Mr. Sillery can wait till"
"Yes," interrupted Mrs. Clarke, "he can wait very well. He is not so old as to make a few months so precious."
Emily saw such an argument was not a very convincing one; and approaching Mrs. Arundel, urged, in the most conciliating tone, every consideration that was likely to either touch or soften her. "I only ask a few months of respect to the opinion of the world—to the memory of the dead. You say you find them solitary: I will not leave home again—nothing of
