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Jillgall said； describing her letter； 〃and I mentioned the
mystery in which Mr。 Gracedieu conceals the ages of you two dear
girls。 Mrs。 Tenbruggen shall we shorten her ugly name and call
her Mrs。 T。？ Very wellMrs。 T。 is a remarkably clever woman； and
I looked for interesting results； if she would give her opinion
of the mysterious circumstance mentioned in my letter。〃
By this time； I was all eagerness to hear more。
〃Has she written to you？〃 I asked。
Miss Jillgall looked at me affectionately； and took the reply out
of her pocket。
〃Listen； Euneece； and you shall hear her own words。 Thus she
writes：
〃 'Your letter； dear Selina； especially interests me by what it
says about the _two_ Miss Gracedieus。 'Look； dear； she
underlines the word Two。 Why； I can't explain。 Can you？ Ah； I
thought not。 Well； let us get back to the letter。 My accomplished
friend continues in these term s：
〃 'I can understand the surprise which you have felt at the
strange course taken by their father； as a means of concealing
the difference which there must be in the ages of these young
ladies。 Many years since； I happened to discover a romantic
incident in the life of your popular preacher； which he has his
reasons； as I suspect； for keeping strictly to himself。 If I may
venture on a bold guess； I should say that any person who could
discover which was the oldest of the two daughters； would be also
likely to discover the true nature of the romance in Mr。
Gracedieu's life。'Isn't that very remarkable； Euneece？ You
don't seem to see ityou funny child！ Pray pay particular
attention to what comes next。 These are the closing sentences in
my friend's letter：
〃 'If you find anything new to tell me which relates to this
interesting subject； direct your letter as beforeprovided you
write within a week from the present time。 Afterward； my letters
will be received by the English physician whose card I inclose。
You will be pleased to hear that my professional interests call
me to London at the earliest moment that I can spare。' There。
dear child； the letter comes to an end。 I daresay you wonder what
Mrs。 T。 means； when she alludes to her professional interests？〃
No： I was not wondering about anything。 It hurt me to hear of a
strange woman exercising her ingenuity in guessing at mysteries
in papa's life。
But Miss Jillgall was too eagerly bent on setting forth the
merits of her friend to notice this。 I now heard that Mrs。 T。's
marriage had turned out badly； and that she had been reduced to
earn her own bread。 Her manner of doing this was something quite
new to me。 She went about； from one place to another； curing
people of all sorts of painful maladies； by a way she had of
rubbing them with her hands。 In Belgium she was called a
〃Masseuse。〃 When I asked what this meant in English； I was told；
〃Medical Rubber；〃 and that the fame of Mrs。 T。's wonderful cures
had reached some of the medical newspapers published in London。
After listening （I must say for myself） very patiently； I was
bold enough to own that my interest in what I had just heard was
not quite so plain to me as I could have wished it to be。
Miss Jillgall looked shocked at my stupidity。 She reminded me
that there was a mystery in Mrs。 Tenbruggen's letter and a
mystery in papa's strange conduct toward Philip。 〃Put two and two
together； darling；〃 she said； 〃and； one of these days； they may
make four。〃
If this meant anything； it meant that the reason which made papa
keep Helena's age and my age unknown to everybody but himself；
was also the reason why he seemed to be so strangely unwilling to
let me be Philip's wife。 I really could not endure to take such a
view of it as that； and begged Miss Jillgall to drop the subject。
She was as kind as ever。
〃With all my heart； dear。 But don't deceive yourselfthe subject
will turn up again when we least expect it。〃
CHAPTER XXIII。
EUNICE'S DIARY。
ONLY two days now； before we give our little dinner…party； and
Philip finds his opportunity of speaking to papa。 Oh； how I wish
that day had come and gone！
I try not to take gloomy views of things； but I am not quite so
happy as I had expected to be when my dear was in the same town
with me。 If papa had encouraged him to call again； we might have
had some precious time to ourselves。 As it is； we can only meet
in the different show…places in the townwith Helena on one
side； and Miss Jillgall on the other； to take care of us。 I do
call it cruel not to let two young people love each other；
without setting third persons to watch them。 If I was Queen of
England； I would have pretty private bowers made for lovers； in
the summer； and nice warm little rooms to hold two； in the
winter。 Why not？ What harm could come of it； I should like to
know？
The cathedral is the place of meeting which we find most
convenient； under the circumstances。 There are delightful nooks
and corners about this celebrated building in which lovers can
lag behind。 If we had been in papa's chapel I should have
hesitated to turn it to such a profane use as this； the cathedral
doesn't so much matter。
Shall I own that I felt my inferiority to Helena a little keenly？
She could tell Philip so many things that I should have liked to
tell him first。 My clever sister taught him how to pronounce the
name of the bishop who began building the cathedral； she led him
over the crypt； and told him how old it was。 He was interested in
the crypt； he talked to Helena （not to me） of his ambition to
write a work on cathedral architecture in England； he made a
rough little sketch in his book of our famous tomb of some king。
Helena knew the late royal personage's name； and Philip showed
his sketch to her before he showed it to me。 How can I blame him；
when I stood there the picture of stupidity； trying to recollect
something that I might tell him； if it was only the Dean's name？
Helena might have whispered it to me； I think。 She remembered it；
not Iand mentioned it to Philip； of course。 I kept close by him
all the time； and now and then he gave me a look which raised my
spirits。 He might have given me something better than thatI
mean a kisswhen we had left the cathedral； and were by
ourselves for a moment in a corner of the Dean's garden。 But he
missed the opportunity。 Perhaps he was afraid of the Dean himself
coming that way； and happening to see us。 However； I am far from
thinking the worse of Philip。 I gave his arm a little
squeezeand that was better than nothing。
。 。 。 。 。 。 。
He and I took a walk along the bank of the river to…day； my
sister and Miss Jillgall looking after us as usual。
On our way through the town； Helena stopped to give an order at a
shop。 She asked us to wait for her。 That best of good creatures；
Miss Jillgall； whispered in my ear： 〃Go on by yourselves； and
leave me to wait for her。〃 Philip interpreted this act of
kindness in a manner which would have vexed me； if I had not
understood that it was one of his jokes。 He said to me： 〃Miss
Jillgall sees a chance of annoying your sister； and enjoys the
prospect。〃
Well； away we went together； it was just what I wanted； it gave
me an opportunity of saying something