'AIRY FAIRY LILIAN.' 256
Ugly people ought to fall in love, they quite destroy
the romance of the whole thing.'
* Thanks awfully,' says Cyril. 'I shall begin to
hold up my head now you have said a word in my
favour. But,'—growing serious —' you really like her,
Lilian? How can you be sure you do after so short an
acq-'ialritance ?'
' 1 always like a person at once or not at all. I
cannot explain why; it is a sort of instinct. Florence
I detested at first sight, your 'Mis. Arlington I love.
What is her name ?'
' Cecilia.'
' A pretty name, and suited to her ; -with her tender
beautiful face she looks a saint. You are very for¬
tunate, Cyril; something tells me you cannot fail to be
happy, having gained the love of such a woman.'
' Dear little Sybil,' says Cyril, lifting one of her
hands to his lips, ' I thank you for your prophecy. It
does me good only to hear you say so.'
CHAPTER XXL
As on her couch of pain a child was lying —Song
Lilian's injury turns out to be not only a sprain, but a
very bad one, and strict quiet and rest for the sufferer
are enjoined by the fat little family doctor. So for
several days she lies supine and obedient upon a sofa in
Lady Chetwoode's boudofr, and makes no moan even
when King Bore with all his horrible train comes
swooping down upon her. He is in greatest force at
such times as when all the others are downstafrs dining,
and she is (however regretfully) left to her own devices.
The servants passing to and fro with dishes sometimes
leave the doors open, and then the sound of merry
voices and laughter, that seems more frequent because
she is at a distance and cannot guess the cause of their
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