up-stairs, after a talking, merry evening, such as the night before
last, I find that I have enjoyed it too much; I am all abroad! I can
hardly fix my thoughts, and I don't know what to do, since here I must
be, and I can't either be silent, or sit up in my own room.'

'Certainly not,' said she, smiling; 'there are duties of society which
you owe even to us dangerous people.'

'No, no: don't misunderstand me. The fault is in myself. If it was
not for that, I could learn nothing but good,' said Guy, speaking very
eagerly, distressed at her answer.

'I believe I understand you,' said she, marvelling at the serious,
ascetic temper, coupled with the very high animal spirits. 'For your
comfort, I believe the unsettled feeling you complain of is chiefly the
effect of novelty. You have led so very retired a life, that a lively
family party is to you what dissipation would be to other people: and,
as you must meet with the world some time or other, it is better the
first encounter with should be in this comparatively innocent form. Go
on watching yourself, and it will do you no harm.'

Yes, but if I find it does me harm? It would be cowardly to run away,
and resistance should be from within. Yet, on the other hand, there is
the duty of giving up, wrenching oneself from all that has temptation
in it.'

'There is nothing,' said Mrs Edmonstone, 'that has no temptation in it;
but I should think the rule was plain. If a duty such as that of
living among us for the present, and making yourself moderately
agreeable, involves temptations, they must be met and battled from