His
sister had detailed to him her behavior on her introduction to Lady
Angleby, and had deplored her lively sense of the ridiculous. Miss
Burleigh had the art of taming that her brother credited her with, and
Elizabeth was already at ease and happy with her--free to be herself, as
she felt, and not always on guard and measuring her words; and the more
of her character that she revealed, the better Miss Burleigh liked her.
Her gayety of temper was very attractive when it was kept within due
bounds, and she had a most sweet docility of tractableness when
approached with caution. At the close of the evening she retired to her
white parlor with a rather exalted feeling of responsibility, having
promised, at Mr. Cecil Burleigh's instigation, to study certain essays
of Lord Bacon on government and seditions in states for the informing of
her mind. She took the volume down from Dorothy Fairfax's bookshelf, and
laid it on her table for a reminder. Miss Burleigh saw it there in the
morning.
"Ah, dear Cecil! He will try to make you very wise and learned," said
she, nodding her head and smiling significantly. "But never mind: he
waltzes to perfection, and delights in a ball, no man more."
"Does he?" cried Bessie, amused and laughing. "That potent, grave, and
reverend signor can condescend, then, to frivolities! Oh, when shall we
have a ball that I may waltz with him?"
"Soon, if all go successfully at the election.
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