"That was not all my dream. It seemed to me that she was in trouble, and in all her beauty and her grief, became my guardian angel."
"You could not select anything more lovely for the office, I assure you," answered Leicester.
"She must be good as she is beautiful," answered the boy, turning an earnest glance on his companion; for without knowing it, his sensitive nature had been stung by the sarcasm lurking beneath the soft tones in which Leicester had spoken.
"At your age, all women are angels," was the rejoinder.
"And at yours, what are they then?" questioned the lad.
"Women!" answered Leicester with a scornful curve of the lip, and a depth of sarcasm in his voice, that made the youth shrink.
The arch hypocrite saw the impression his unguarded bitterness had made, and added, "but this one really is an angel. I may not admire her as much as you would, Robert, but she is an exquisite creature, timid as a young fawn, delicate as a flower!"
"I was sure of it!" exclaimed Robert with enthusiasm, for this frank praise had obliterated all impression made by the sarcasm in Leicester's voice.
"And now," said Leicester taking his hat from the table, "as you seem quite awake, and as I positively cannot sleep, what if we take a stroll?"
"Where could we go at this time of night?" said Robert, surprised by the proposition.