"Oh, that she is a pretty girl, of course, unspoiled as yet, and charmed with her surroundings, and immensely delighted at finding herself grown up, and mistress of that bungalow,—which is her doll's house so far."
"And do you think she likes me?"
"Yes; of course I did not put the delicate question point-blank as your deputy, but I daresay she does; for her own sake I hope she won't get any further than liking!"
"You are frankness itself, my dear fellow, and why?"
"Because she is much too good for you, and you know it! You have been in love about fifty times already, and for pure lack of something to do, are thinking of offering the shell of your heart to this pretty penniless child. She would accept it—if she cared for you—au grand sérieux, and give hers in return, for always; but you, once your little entr'acte was played out here—say in three months—would sail away, leave her, and forget her! You have done it to dozens according to your own confession;—why not again?"
The expression of tolerant amusement on his hearer's face rapidly gave way to indignation, and he said with much asperity,—
"This is vastly fine! You are uncommonly eloquent on behalf of Miss Helen's maiden affections; you beat old Parks in a common walk! One would imagine that I was some giant Blunderbore who was going to eat her! Or that——" and he paused, and blew a cloud of smoke into the air.
"Or what?" asked the other quietly.
"That you meant to enter the lists yourself, since you will have it."
Mr. Lisle picked a crumb off the cloth, and made no reply, and his companion proceeded,—