XI

I suppose there would have been even more remarks upon the growing
intimacy of the Young Astronomer and his pupil, if the curiosity of the
boarders had not in the mean time been so much excited at the apparently
close relation which had sprung up between the Register of Deeds and
the Lady. It was really hard to tell what to make of it. The Register
appeared at the table in a new coat. Suspicious. The Lady was evidently
deeply interested in him, if we could judge by the frequency and the
length of their interviews. On at least one occasion he has brought a
lawyer with him, which naturally suggested the idea that there were
some property arrangements to be attended to, in case, as seems probable
against all reasons to the contrary, these two estimable persons, so
utterly unfitted, as one would say, to each other, contemplated an
alliance. It is no pleasure to me to record an arrangement of this kind.
I frankly confess I do not know what to make of it. With her tastes
and breeding, it is the last thing that I should have thought of,--her
uniting herself with this most commonplace and mechanical person, who
cannot even offer her the elegances and luxuries to which she might seem
entitled on changing her condition.

While I was thus interested and puzzled I received an unexpected visit
from our Landlady. She was evidently excited, and by some event which
was of a happy nature, for her countenance was beaming and she seemed
impatient to communicate what she had to tell. Impatient or not, she
must wait a moment, while I say a word about her. Our Landlady is as
good a creature as ever lived. She is a little negligent of grammar
at times, and will get a wrong word now and then; she is garrulous,
circumstantial, associates facts by their accidental cohesion rather
than by their vital affinities, is given to choking and tears on slight
occasions, but she has a warm heart, and feels to her boarders as if
they were her blood-relations. She began her conversation abruptly.--I
expect I'm a going to lose one of my boarders,--she said.

--You don't seem very unhappy about it, madam,--I answered.--We all
took it easily when the person who sat on our side of the table quitted
us in such a hurry, but I do not think there is anybody left that either
you or the boarders want to get rid of--unless it is myself,--I added
modestly.

--You! said the Landlady--you! No indeed. When I have a quiet boarder
that 's a small eater, I don'