116 A CONTRE-TEMPS.

thought that they had never looked so nice before ;
next she set out her little table with her drawing
materials, and reared up the miniature of Mrs. Bishop's
chubby baby, which was not at all amiss, and the large
drawing of the black spaniel, and made everything
look neat and business-like, that if Mrs. Cope had to
bring anybody in during her absence, things might
look to advantage.

All this ended, and nobody in this world could make
poverty wear a fairer face than Marianne, she went
into her little chamber to dress. She had her own
reasons for wishing to look very charming this morning.
She had often been to the smart new-fronted shop of
Williams, Isaacs, and Co. ; she had been sent there by
her father for wafers and ingredicnts for his cheap
sealing-wax ; and old Mr. Isaacs and young Mr.
Reynolds had taken great notice of her; Williams
she had never seen. Some way or other young
Reynolds always served her ; she liked to be served
by him in preference to any one, and whenever she
had been to the shop, he could never think of any-
thing but her all day long, and many a night he had
dreamed of her. She had done the very same thing
by him. He talked of sitting for his miniature, and
she wished with all her heart that he would.

Marianne knew her father's history, knew the
reason for his coming to that town. It was the
parable of the prodigal son reversed—it was the pro-
digal father seeking reconciliation with his fortunate
son. He had sought for that reconciliation, and had
been repulsed, disowned, treated as an impostor, and
now his humble, touching letter had been returned
unanswered. Hae was disheartened, wounded, crushed
to the earth. He understood that his son passed much