"It is odd I should have forgotten to mention her," I cried,
endeavouring to laugh it off. "Young men do not often forget to write
about young ladies."
"This Miss Merton is young, then, brother?"
"About your own age, Grace."
"And handsome--and agreeable--and accomplished?"
"Something like yourself, my dear."
"But handsome, I take it for granted, Miles," observed Mr. Hardinge,
"by the manner in which you have omitted to speak of her charms, in
your letters!"
"Why sir, I think most persons--that is the world in general--I mean
such as are not over-fastidious, would consider Miss Merton
particularly handsome--agreeable in person and features, I would be
understood to say."
"Oh! you are sufficiently explicit; everybody can understand you,"
added my laughing guardian, who had no more thought of getting me
married to his own daughter, than to a German princess of a hundred
and forty-five quarterings, if there are any such things; "some other
time we will have the particulars of her eyes, hair, teeth, &c., &c."
"Oh! sir, you may save me the trouble, by looking at her yourself,
to-morrow, since she and her father are both here."
"_Here!_" exclaimed all four in a breath; Lucy's extreme surprise
extorting the monosyllable from her reserve, even a little louder than
from the rest.
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