Leonard gave a sort of growl, intimating that Aubrey was exciting his
displeasure; and Ethel was glad to be at home, and break off the
conversation; but in a few minutes Aubrey knocked at her door, and
edging himself in, mysteriously said, 'Such fun! So it was your
beaux yeux, not Leonard's, that made the conquest!'

'I suppose she was touched with what I said of poor Leonard's
circumstances, and the pleasure the creature gave him.'

'That is as prosy as Mary, Ethel. At any rate, the woman told
Leonard yours was the most irresistibly attractive countenance she
ever saw, short of beauty; and that's not the best of it, for he is
absolutely angry.

'No wonder,' laughed Ethel.

'No, but it's about the beauty! He can't conceive a face more
beautiful than yours.'

'Except the gargoyle on the church tower,' said Ethel, gaping into as
complete a model of that worthy as flesh and blood could perpetrate.

'But he means it,' persisted Aubrey, fixing his eyes critically on
his sister's features, but disturbed by the contortions into which
she threw them. 'Now don't, don't. I never saw any fellow with a
hundredth part of your gift for making faces,' he added, between the
unwilling paroxysms of mirth at each fresh grimace; but I want to
judge of you; and--oh! that solemn one is worse than all; it is like
Julius Caesar, if he had ever been photographed!--but really, when