certainly be considered as a tolerably broad hint that they had better discontinue their representations, but they were arrived at that state of eagerness which may be best illustrated by the proverb referring to a blind horse.  Every one, inclined to that same impetuosity, and want of soberness, can remember the dismay with which hosts of such disregarded checks will recur to the mind when too late, and the poor satisfaction of the self-justification which truly answers that their object was not even comprehended.  Henrietta, accustomed but little to heed such indications of dissent from her will, did not once think of her grandmamma’s dislike, and Beatrice with her eyes fully open to it, wilfully despised it as a fidgety fancy.

Henrietta had devised a series of scenes for the word assassin, and greatly delighted the imagination of her partners by a proposal to make a pair of asses’ ears of cotton velvet for the adornment of Bottom the weaver.  Fred fell back in his chair in fits of laughing at the device, and Queen Bee capered and danced about the room, declaring her worthy to be her own “primest of viziers.”

“And,” said Beatrice, “what an exquisite interlude it will make to relieve the various plagues of Monday evening.”

“Why you don’t mean to act then!” exclaimed Henrietta.

“Why not?  You don’t know what a relief it will be.  It will be an excuse for getting away from all the stupidity.”

“To be sure it will,” cried Fred.  “A bright thought, Mrs. Bee.  We shall have it all to ourselves in the study in comfort.”

“But would grandmamma ever let us do it?” said Henrietta.

“I will manage,” said Beatrice.  “I will make grandpapa agree to it, and then she will not mind.  Think how he enjoyed it.”

“Before so many people!” said Henrietta.  “O, Queenie, it will never do!  It would be a regular exhibition.”

“My dear, what nonsense!” said Beatrice.  “Why, it is all among friends and neighbours.”

“Friends and neighbours to you,” said Henrietta.

“And yours too.  Fred, she is deserting!  I thought you meant to adopt or inherit all Knight Sutton and its neighbourhood could offer.”

“A choice inheritance that neighbourhood, by your account,” said Fred.  “But come, Henrietta, you must not spoil the whole affair by such nonsense and affectation.”

“Affectation!  O, Fred!”

“Yes, to be sure it is,” said Fred:  “to set up such scruples as these.  Why, you said yourself that you forget all about the spectators when once you get into the spirit of the thing.”

“And what is affectation,” said Beatrice, seeing her advantage, “but thinking what other people will think?”

There are few persuasions to which a girl who claims to possess some degree of sense is more accessible, than the imputation of affectation, especially when brought forward by a brother, and enforced by a clever and determined friend.  Such a feeling is no doubt often very useful in preventing folly, but it may sometimes be perverted to the smothering of wholesome scruples.  Henrietta only pressed one point more, she begged not to be Titania.