If her pulses were stirred ever so, that would not make her happy."

"Happy! Who is happy? Are you happy?"

Johnny thought of Lily Dale and paused before he answered. No;
certainly he was not happy. But he was not going to talk about his
unhappiness to Miss Demolines! "Of course I am;--as jolly as a
sandboy," he said.

"Mr. Eames," said Madalina raising herself on her sofa, "if you can
not express yourself in language more suitable to the occasion and to
the scene than that, I think that you had better--"

"Hold my tongue."

"Just so;--though I should not have chosen myself to use words so
abruptly discourteous."

"What did I say;--jolly as a sandboy? There is nothing wrong in that.
What I meant was, that I think that this world is a very good sort of
world, and that a man can get along in it very well if he minds his
_p_'s and _q_'s."

"But suppose it's a woman?"

"Easier still."

"And suppose she does not mind her _p_'s and _q_'s?"

"Women always do."

"Do they? Your knowledge of women goes as far as that, does it? Tell
me fairly;--do you think you know anything about women?" Madalina,
as she asked the question, looked full into his face, and shook her
locks and smiled. When she shook her locks and smiled, there was a
certain attraction about her of which John Eames was fully sensible.
She could throw a special brightness into her eyes, which, though it
probably betokened nothing beyond ill-natured mischief, seemed to
convey a promise of wit and intellect.

"I don't mean to make any boast about it," said Johnny.

"I doubt whether you know anything. The pretty simplicity of your
excellent Lily Dale has sufficed for you."

"Never mind about her," said Johnny impatiently.

"I do not mind about her in the least. But an insight into that sort
of simplicity will not teach the character of a real woman. You
cannot learn the flavour of wines by sipping sherry and water. For
myself I do not think that I am simple. I own it fairly. If you must
have simplicity, I cannot be to your taste."

"Nobody likes partridge always," said Johnny, laughing.

"I understand you, sir. And though what you say is not complimentary,
I am willing to forgive that fault for its truth. I don't consider
myself to be always partridge, I can assure you. I am as changeable
as the moon."

"And as fickle?"

"I say nothing about that, sir. I leave you to find that out. It is
a man's business to discover that for himself. If you real