“I have been thinking of that, too! I promised, you know, when I left her, last night, that we would return before day-dawn, and rescue her. The unhappy little beauty will doubtless think I have fallen into the tiger's jaws myself, and has half wept her bright eyes out by this time!”
“My poor Leoline! And O Hubert, if you only knew what she is to you!”
“I do know! She told me she was my sister!”
Sir Norman looked at him in amazement.
“She told you, and you take it like this?”
“Certainly, I take it like this. How would you have me take it? It is nothing to go into hysterics about, after all!”
“Of all the cold-blooded young reptiles I ever saw,” exclaimed Sir Norman, with infinite disgust, “you are the worst! If you were told you were to receive the crown of France to-morrow, you would probably open your eyes a trifle, and take it as you would a new cap!”
“Of course I would. I haven't lived in courts half my life to get up a scene for a small matter! Besides, I had an idea from the first moment I saw Leoline that she must be my sister, or something of that sort.”
“And so you felt no emotion whatever on hearing it?”
“I don't know as I properly understand what you mean by emotion,” said Herbert, reflectively. “But ye-e-s, I did feel somewhat pleased—she is so like me, and so uncommonly handsome!”