highest praise "very right," and tell me if there can be a better
image of duty.'

Claude might have had some chance of bringing Lily to her senses, if
he had allowed that there was some truth in what she had said; but he
thought the accusation so unjust in general, that he would not agree
to any part of it, and only answered, 'You have very strange views of
duty and of Eleanor.'

'Well!' replied Lily, 'I only ask you to watch; Emily and I are
determined to act on the principle of love, and you will see if her
government is not more successful than that of duty.'

Such was the principle upon which Lily intended her sister to govern
the household, and to which Emily listened without knowing what she
meant much better than she did herself. Emily's own views, as far as
she possessed any, were to get on as smoothly as she could, and make
everybody pleased and happy, without much trouble to herself, and
also to make the establishment look a little more as if a Lady Emily
had lately been its mistress, than had been the case in Eleanor's
time. Mr. Mohun's property was good, but he wished to avoid
unnecessary display and expense, and he expected his daughters to
follow out these views, keeping a wise check upon Emily, by looking
over her accounts every Saturday, and turning a deaf ear when she
talked of the age of the drawing-room carpet, and the ugliness of the
old chariot. Emily had a good deal on her hands, requiring sense and
activity, but Lilias and Jane were now quite old enough to assist
her. Lily however, thought fit to despise all household affairs, and
bestowed the chief of her attention on her own department--the
village school and poor people; and she was also much engrossed by