argued strongly for a day in June, but Carlisle at length carried her
point that the interval was quite too short. It was now the 20th of
March, The final decision, reached on the train next day, was that
Canning should join Mrs. and Miss Heth abroad, in June or July, and the
formal announcement of the coming alliance should be made then, from
London or Paris. The wedding itself would take place early in October.




XVI

Of Happiness continuing, and what all the World loves;
revealing, however, that not Every Girl can do what the
French People once did.


The row of maiden's testimonials had received their crowning complement.
The beginning at the Beach had touched its shining end. As she and mamma
had planned it, so it had magically fallen out.

When Mrs. Heth heard the tidings (which she did within three minutes of
Carlisle's arrival at home) the good lady hardly restrained the tears of
jubilee. Having all but abandoned hope, she was swept off her feet by
the overwhelming revulsion of feeling, and her attitude--for of course
mamma always produced an attitude about everything upon the spot--was
not merely ecstatic, but tender and magnanimously humble. For it was
clear now that the daughter had outpointed the mother at the Great Game;
Cally had justified her flare-up; and Mrs. Heth, with eyes nobly moist,
begged forgiveness for all the hibernal harshnesses.