Withthetwilighttheyrousedthemselvessoftlytothebusinessoflife。Insageandsilentcompanionshipoftwo，theywentflying，noiseless，alongthequietlanesinsearchofameal。Atonetimetheywouldbeatafieldlikeasetterdog，anddropdowninaninstantonamouseunawareofthem。Atanothertime——movingspectralovertheblacksurfaceofthewater——theywouldtrythelakeforachange，andcatchaperchastheyhadcaughtthemouse。Theircatholicdigestionswereequallytolerantofaratoraninsect。Andthereweremoments，proudmoments，intheirlives，whentheywerecleverenoughtosnatchasmallbirdatroostoffhisperch。Onthoseoccasionsthesenseofsuperioritywhichthelargebirdfeelseverywhereoverthesmall，warmedtheircoolblood，andsetthemscreechingcheerfullyinthestillnessofthenight。
　　So，foryears，theOwlsslepttheirhappysleepbyday，andfoundtheircomfortablemealwhendarknessfell。Theyhadcome，withthecreepers，intopossessionofthesummer-house。Consequently，thecreeperswereapartoftheconstitutionofthesummer-house。
　　AndconsequentlytheOwlsweretheguardiansoftheConstitution。
　　Therearesomehumanowlswhoreasonastheydid，andwhoare，inthisrespect——asalsoinrespectofsnatchingsmallerbirdsofftheirroosts——wonderfullylikethem。
　　Theconstitutionofthesummer-househadlasteduntilthespringoftheyeareighteenhundredandsixty-eight，whentheunhallowedfootstepsofinnovationpassedthatway；andthevenerableprivilegesoftheOwlswereassailed，forthefirsttime，fromtheworldoutside。
　　Twofeatherlessbeingsappeared，uninvited，atthedoorofthesummer-house，surveyedtheconstitutionalcreepers，andsaid，“Thesemustcomedown“——lookedaroundatthehorridlightofnoonday，andsaid，“Thatmustcomein“——wentaway，thereupon，andwereheard，inthedistance，agreeingtogether，“To-morrowitshallbedone。“
　　AndtheOwlssaid，“Havewehonoredthesummer-housebyoccupyingitalltheseyears——andisthehorridlightofnoondaytobeletinonusatlast？Mylordsandgentlemen，theConstitutionisdestroyed!“
　　Theypassedaresolutiontothateffect，asisthemanneroftheirkind。Andthentheyshuttheireyesagain，andfeltthattheyhaddonetheirduty。
　　Thesamenight，ontheirwaytothefields，theyobservedwithdismayalightinoneofthewindowsofthehouse。Whatdidthelightmean？
　　Itmeant，inthefirstplace，thatthelawsuitwasoveratlast。
　　Itmeant，inthesecondplacethattheownerofWindygates，wantingmoney，haddecidedonlettingtheproperty。Itmeant，inthethirdplace，thatthepropertyhadfoundatenant，andwastoberenovatedimmediatelyoutofdoorsandin。TheOwlsshriekedastheyflappedalongthelanesinthedarkness，Andthatnighttheystruckatamouse——andmissedhim。
　　Thenextmorning，theOwls——fastasleepinchargeoftheConstitution——wererousedbyvoicesoffeatherlessbeingsallroundthem。Theyopenedtheireyes，underprotest，andsawinstrumentsofdestructionattackingthecreepers。Nowinonedirection，andnowinanother，thoseinstrumentsletinonthesummer-housethehorridlightofday。ButtheOwlswereequaltotheoccasion。Theyruffledtheirfeathers，andcried，“Nosurrender!“Thefeatherlessbeingspliedtheirworkcheerfully，andanswered，“Reform!“Thecreepersweretorndownthiswayandthat。Thehorriddaylightpouredinbrighterandbrighter。TheOwlshadbarelytimetopassanewresolution，namely，“ThatwedostandbytheConstitution，“whenarayoftheoutersunlightflashedintotheireyes，andsentthemflyingheadlongtothenearestshade。Theretheysatwinking，whilethesummer-housewasclearedoftherankgrowththathadchokeditup，whiletherottenwood-workwasrenewed，whileallthemurkyplacewaspurifiedwithairandlight。Andwhentheworldsawit，andsaid，“Nowweshalldo!“theOwlsshuttheireyesinpiousremembranceofthedarkness，andanswered，“Mylordsandgentlemen，theConstitutionisdestroyed!“
　　Whowasresponsibleforthereformofthesummer-house？ThenewtenantatWindygateswasresponsible。
　　Andwhowasthenewtenant？
　　Come，andsee。
　　Inthespringofeighteenhundredandsixty-eightthesummer-househadbeenthedismaldwelling-placeofapairofowls。Intheautumnofthesameyearthesummer-housewasthelivelygathering-placeofacrowdofladiesandgentlemen，assembledatalawnparty——theguestsofthetenantwhohadtakenWindygates。
　　Thescene——attheopeningoftheparty——wasaspleasanttolookataslightandbeautyandmovementcouldmakeit。
　　Insidethesummer-housethebutterfly-brightnessofthewomenintheirsummerdressesshoneradiantoutofthegloomshedrounditbythedrearymodernclothingofthemen。Outsidethesummer-house，seenthroughthreearchedopenings，thecoolgreenprospectofalawnledaway，inthedistance，toflower-bedsandshrubberies，and，fartherstill，disclosed，throughabreakinthetrees，agrandstonehousewhichclosedtheview，withafountaininfrontofitplayinginthesun。
　　Theywerehalfofthemlaughing，theywereallofthemtalking——thecomfortablehumoftheirvoiceswasatitsloudest；
　　thecheerypealingofthelaughterwassoaringtoitshighestnotes——whenonedominantvoice，risingclearandshrillabovealltherest，calledimperativelyforsilence。Themomentafter，ayoungladysteppedintothevacantspaceinfrontofthesummer-house，andsurveyedthethrongofguestsasageneralincommandsurveysaregimentunderreview。
　　Shewasyoung，shewaspretty，shewasplump，shewasfair。Shewasnottheleastembarrassedbyherprominentposition。Shewasdressedintheheightofthefashion。Ahat，likeacheese-plate，wastiltedoverherforehead。Aballoonoflightbrownhairsoared，fullyinflated，fromthecrownofherhead。Acataractofbeadspouredoverherbosom。Apairofcock-chafersinenamelfrightfullylikethelivingoriginalshungatherears。Herscantyskirtsshonesplendidwiththeblueofheaven。Heranklestwinkledinstripedstockings。Hershoeswereofthesortcalled“Watteau。“Andherheelswereoftheheightatwhichmenshudder，andaskthemselvesincontemplatinganotherwiselovablewoman，“Canthischarmingpersonstraightenherknees？“
　　TheyoungladythuspresentingherselftothegeneralviewwasMissBlancheLundie——oncethelittlerosyBlanchewhomtheProloguehasintroducedtothereader。Age，atthepresenttime，eighteen。Position，excellent。Money，certain。Temper，quick。
　　Disposition，variable。Inaword，achildofthemoderntime——withthemeritsoftheagewelivein，andthefailingsoftheagewelivein——andasubstanceofsincerityandtruthandfeelingunderlyingitall。
　　“Nowthen，goodpeople，“criedMissBlanche，“silence，ifyouplease!Wearegoingtochoosesidesatcroquet。Business，business，business!“
　　Uponthis，asecondladyamongthecompanyassumedapositionofprominence，andansweredtheyoungpersonwhohadjustspokenwithalookofmildreproof，andinatoneofbenevolentprotest。
　　Thesecondladywastall，andsolid，andfive-and-thirty。Shepresentedtothegeneralobservationacruelaquilinenose，anobstinatestraightchin，magnificentdarkhairandeyes，aserenesplendoroffawn-coloredapparel，andalazygraceofmovementwhichwasattractiveatfirstsight，butinexpressiblymonotonousandwearisomeonalongeracquaintance。ThiswasLadyLundietheSecond，nowthewidowafterfourmonthsonlyofmarriedlifeofSirThomasLundie，deceased。Inotherwords，thestep-motherofBlanche，andtheenviablepersonwhohadtakenthehouseandlandsofWindygates。
　　“Mydear，“saidLadyLundie，“wordshavetheirmeanings——evenonayounglady’slips。DoyoucallCroquet，’business？’“
　　“Youdon’tcallitpleasure，surely？“saidagravelyironicalvoiceintheback-groundofthesummer-house。
　　Theranksofthevisitorspartedbeforethelastspeaker，anddisclosedtoview，inthemidstofthatmodernassembly，agentlemanofthebygonetime。
　　Themannerofthisgentlemanwasdistinguishedbyapliantgraceandcourtesyunknowntothepresentgeneration。Theattireofthisgentlemanwascomposedofamany-foldedwhitecravat，aclose-buttonedbluedress-coat，andnankeentrouserswithgaiterstomatch，ridiculoustothepresentgeneration。Thetalkofthisgentlemanraninaneasyflow——revealinganindependenthabitofmind，andexhibitingacarefully-polishedcapacityforsatiricalretort——dreadedanddislikedbythepresentgeneration。
　　Personally，hewaslittleandwiryandslim——withabrightwhitehead，andsparklingblackeyes，andawrytwistofhumorcurlingsharplyatthecornersofhislips。Athislowerextremities，heexhibitedthedeformitywhichispopularlyknownas“aclub-foot。“Buthecarriedhislameness，ashecarriedhisyears，gayly。Hewassociallycelebratedforhisivorycane，withasnuff-boxartfullyletintotheknobatthetop——andhewassociallydreadedforahatredofmoderninstitutions，whichexpresseditselfinseasonandoutofseason，andwhichalwaysshowedthesame，fatalknackofhittingsmartlyontheweakestplace。SuchwasSirPatrickLundie；brotherofthelatebaronet，SirThomas；andinheritor，atSirThomas’sdeath，ofthetitleandestates。