xcept in fairy tales, young princes never take such liberties as this,
and even then the princesses are under enchantment."

"It is _I_ that am under the spell, not _you_, Julia," said he, fondly.

"Then you are come to ask pardon for all your crossness, your savagery
of this morning?"

"Yes, if you desire it."

"No, sir; I desire nothing of the kind; it must be spontaneous humility.
You must feel you have behaved very ill, and be very, very sorry for
it."

"I have behaved very ill, and am very, very sorry for it," repeated he,
softly, after her.

"And this is said seriously?"

"Seriously."

"And on honor?"

"On honor!"

"And why is it said--is it because I have asked you to say it?"

"Partly; that is, you have in asking given me courage to say it."

"Courage to ask pardon! what do you mean by that?"

"No; but courage to make me hope you care to hear it. Oh, Julia, for
once listen to me seriously, and let me tell you how I love you; how I
have always loved you; how you are to me all that is worth living for."

"It would be very nice to be told such pretty things, all the more
being bound to believe them."

"And do you doubt?"

"I 'll tell you what there is not, nor can be any doubt about, Jack;
that we are both very poor, and though I, woman-like, may feel it a very
comforting and sustaining thought, through my poverty, that one honest
heart beats affectionately for me, yet I 'm far from sure that it would
be the same good influence over _your_ life; in fact, our bargain would
be unequal, and I should have all the best of it."

"Oh, Julia, could you love me--"

"I think I 've done things fully as hard," said she, with affected
thoughtfulness.

"Do you think me, then, so hopeless of advancement in life that I shall
live and die the humble creature you now see me?"

"No, I don't think that. I think if fate is not very dead against you,
you are likely, whatever you turn to, or wherever you go, to make your
way; but to do this you must be heart-whole. The selfishness that men
call ambition cannot afford to be weighted with thought of another and
another's welfare. Have a little patience with me--hear me out, for I
am saying what I have thought over many and many an hour--what I have
already told Nelly. There's an old Persian fable that says, the people
who love on through life are like two lovers who walk on opposite banks
of a river, and never meet till the river mingles with the ocean, which
is