'You forget, sir,' said Charley,' he's not a sailor, he's only in the Civil Service; we're all very bashful in the Civil Service.'
'I think he is rather spooney, I must say,' said Katie; whereupon Mrs. Woodward went on reading.
"'It's a sweet thing, isn't it?' said Macassar.
"'Oh, very!' said Crinoline, with a rapturous expression which pervaded her whole head and shoulders as well as her face and bust—'very sweet, and so new.'
"'It quite comes home to me,' said Macassar, and he sighed deeply.
"'Then it is at his office,' said Crinoline to herself; and she sighed also.
"They both sat silent for a while, looking into the square—Crinoline was at one window, and Macassar at the other: 'I must go now,' said he: 'I promised to be back at three.'
"'Back where?' said she.
"'At my office,' said he.
"Crinoline sighed. After all, it was at his office; it was too evident that it was there, and nowhere else. Well, and why should it not be there? why should not Macassar Jones be true to his duty and to his country? What had she to do with his heart? Why should she wish it elsewhere? 'Twas thus she tried to console herself, but in vain. Had she had an office of her own it might perhaps have been different; but Crinoline was only a woman; and often she sighed over the degradation of her lot.