Gertrude's very secret, and proud too;
but I shall know very soon. I've ascertained, my dear, that an officer
came under the window the other evening, and sang a verse of a French
chanson, from the meadow, in a cloak, if you please, with a guitar. I
could name his name, my dear--'
'Do pray tell me,' said Lily, whose curiosity was all alive.
'Why--a--not yet, my dear,' answered Aunt Becky, looking down; 'there
are--there's a reason--but the affair, I may tell you, began, in
earnest, on the very day on which she refused Mr. Mervyn. But I forgot
you did not know _that_ either--however, you'll never mention it.' And
she kissed her cheek, calling her 'my wise little Lily.'
'And my dear, it has been going on so regularly ever since, with, till
very lately, so little disguise, that I only wonder everybody doesn't
see it as plain as I do myself; and Lily, my dear,' continued Aunt
Rebecca, energetically, rising from the sofa, as some object caught her
eye through the glass-door in the garden, 'your beautiful roses are all
trailing in the mud. What on earth is Hogan about? and there, see, just
at the door, a boxful of nails!--I'd nail his ear to the wall if he were
mine,' and Aunt Rebecca glanced sharply through the glass, this way and
that, for the offending gardener, who, happily, did not appear.
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