rse
Do not I hate who would not understand,
Let me repair things--no, but sent a-slide
My folly falteringly, stumblingly
Down, down and deeper down until I drop
Upon--the need of your ten thousand pounds
And consequently loss of mine! I lose
Character, cash, nay, common-sense itself
Recounting such a lengthy cock-and-bull
Adventure--lose my temper in the act...."

"And lose beside,--if I may supplement
The list of losses,--train and ten-o'clock!
Hark, pant and puff, there travels the swart sign!
So much the better! You're my captive now!
I'm glad you trust a fellow: friends grow thick
This way--that's twice said; we were thickish, though,
Even last night, and, ere night comes again,
I prophesy good luck to both of us!
For see now!--back to '_balmy eminence_'
Or '_calm acclivity_,' or what's the word!
Bestow you there an hour, concoct at ease
A sonnet for the Album, while I put
Bold face on, best foot forward, make for house,
March in to aunt and niece, and tell the truth--
(Even white-lying goes against my taste
After your little story). Oh, the niece
Is rationality itself! The aunt--
If she's amenable to reason too--
Why, you stooped short to pay her due respect,
And let the Duke wait (I'll work well the Duke).
If she grows gracious, I return for you;
If thunder's in the air, why--bear your doom,
Dine on rump-steaks and port, and shake the dust
Of aunty from your shoes as off you go
By evening-train, nor give the thing a thought
How you shall pay me--that's as sure as fate,
Old fellow! Off with you, face left about!
Yonder's the path I have to pad. You see,
I'm in good spirits, God knows why! Perhaps
Because the woman did not marry you
--Who look so hard at me,--and have the right,
One must be fair and own."

The two stand still
Under an oak.

"Look here!" resumes the youth.
"I never quite knew how I came to like
You--so much--whom I ought not court at all;
Nor how you had a leaning just to me
Who am assuredly not worth your pains.
For there must needs be plenty such as you
Somewhere about,--although I can't say where,--
Able and willing to teach all you know;
While--how can you have missed a score like me
With money and no wit, precisely each
A pu