"
"If I were only sure it is for her good!"
"Why, child, there's scarce a wench in the county who would not go
down on her knees for such a chance. See what Madam Duckworth would
say to it for Miss Peggy!"
Betty said no more. The result of her cogitations had been that since
Aurelia must be yielded for the sake of her father and Eugene, it was
better not to disturb him with fears, which would only anger him at
the moment and disquiet him afterwards. She was likewise reassured
by Mrs. Dove's going with her, since that good woman had been nurse
to the little Belamour cousins now deceased, and was well known as
an excellent and trustworthy person, so that, if she were going to
act in the same capacity to my Lady's second family, Aurelia would
have a friend at hand. So the Major cheated his grief by greeting
the church-goers with the hilarious announcement--
"Here's great news! What says my little Aura to going London to my
Lady's house."
"O Sir! are you about to take us."
"Not I! My Lady wants pretty young maidens, not battered old soldiers."
"Nor my sisters? O then, if you please, Sir, I would rather not go!"
"Silly children cannot choose! No, no, Aura, you must go out and see
the world, and come back to us such a belle that your poor old father
will scarce know you.
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