benefit of your
experience," he began. "I want a word of advice."

"Suppose you take it sitting?" suggested Sir Patrick. "Get a chair." His
sharp eyes followed Arnold with an expression of malicious enjoyment.
"Wants my advice?" he thought. "The young humbug wants nothing of the
sort--he wants my niece."

Arnold sat down under Sir Patrick's eye, with a well-founded suspicion
that he was destined to suffer, before he got up again, under Sir
Patrick's tongue.

"I am only a young man," he went on, moving uneasily in his chair, "and
I am beginning a new life--"

"Any thing wrong with the chair?" asked Sir Patrick. "Begin your new
life comfortably, and get another."

"There's nothing wrong with the chair, Sir. Would you--"

"Would I keep the chair, in that case? Certainly."

"I mean, would you advise me--"

"My good fellow, I'm waiting to advise you. (I'm sure there's something
wrong with that chair. Why be obstinate about it? Why not get another?)"

"Please don't notice the chair, Sir Patrick--you put me out. I want--in
short--perhaps it's a curious question--"

"I can't say till I have heard it," remarked Sir Patrick. "However,
we will admit it, for form's sake, if you like. Say it's a curious
question. Or let us express it more strongly, if that will help you.
Say it's the most extraordinary question that ever was put, since the
beginning of the world, from one human being to another."

"It's this!" Arnold burst out, desperately. "I want to be married!"

"That isn't a question," objected Sir Patrick. "It's an assertion. You
say, I want to be married. And I say, Just so! And there's an end of
it."

Arnold's head began to whirl. "Would you advise me to get married, Sir?"
he said, piteously. "That's what I meant."

"Oh! That's the object of the present interview, is it? Would I advise
you to marry, eh?"

(Having caught the mouse by this time, the cat lifted his paw and
let the luckless little creature breathe again. Sir Patrick's manner
suddenly freed itself from any slight signs of impatience which it might
have hitherto shown, and became as pleasantly easy and confidential as
a manner could be. He touched the knob of his cane, and helped himself,
with infinite zest and enjoyment, to a pinch of snuff.)

"Would I advise you to marry?" repeated Sir Patrick. "Two courses
are open to us, Mr. Arnold, in treating that question. We may put it
briefly, or we may put it at great length. I am for putting it brief