The Last of the Mortimers

finished the third volume before I began to the newspaper; but, to be sure, a novel, after you are done with it, is an unsatisfactory piece of work; especially if the evening is only half over, and

d got quite settled in her heiress ways before I was born. When I was young, I used to think it a sad pity for everybody's sake that I ever was born, especially after my mother died; however, I changed my views upon that subject a good many years ago. Yet here I sat looking all over the advertisements, and keeping an eye on Sara to see if there was any hope

t me with a sort of challenge, as if defying me to guess what she was thinking of. Then, seeing how puzzled I looked, Sara laughed, but reddened a little as well,

Italian gentleman; he that people talk

entleman in Chester. What a piece of

style to the Angel, and said he was coming to see some friends, and asked all about whether anybody knew where the Countess Sermoneta lived. You may be quite sure nobody had

e poor youn

this was really Chestare he had come to, and not any other place. But next day, people say, he sent for the landlord and asked all about the families in the neighbourhood, and all of a sudden grew quite grave and serious, and soon after took lodgings in Watergate, and has been seen going about the streets and the walls so much s

about it. There is nothing at all Christ

letti used to tell us they never minded their family names in Italy; and that people might be next-door neighbours for ever so long

ence, and I don't like your romantic foreigners. For my part, I don't like{33} people that have a story. People have no right to have stories, child. If you do

ld know before they condemn; and his name is just plain Lewis when it's put into English. I did not think yo

what do you know about him, Sara Cresswell, please, that

body in the world," cried the little impulsive creature. Then she stopped and gave a little toss of her head. "But whatever anybody says, I know it's quite right to feel kind to the poor Italian gentleman, a stra

rn Englishwoman. And as for your foreign counts, that come sneaking int

gentleman in my life; and besides," she went on, getting very red and vehement, "I never will marry anybody, I have quite made up my mind; so, if you please, godmamma, whatever you ch

. I am sure she never saw me so angry before, though she has been a perfect plague and tease all her days. But do you think she would give in, and say she was sorry? Not if it had been to save her life! She sat looking down on her book, opening and shutting it upon her hand, her little delicate nostril swelling, her red upper lip moving, her foot going pat-pat on the carpet, but never owning to be in the wrong or making the least apology. After I had done and taken up my paper again, pretending to be very busy with it, she got up and rummaged out the other volume of the novel, and came to