would take you for an unconscionable baggage."

"_Hou!_" laughed Carlotta, suddenly. And she ran from the room.

In a moment she was back again. She came up to me demurely and plucked
my sleeve.

"Come and show me what I must put on so as to please you."

I rang the bell for Antoinette, to whom I gave the necessary
instructions. Her next request would be that I should act the part of
lady's-maid. I must maintain my dignity with Carlotta.

The lovely afternoon had attracted many people to the park, and the
lawns were thronged. We found a couple of chairs at the edge of one
of the cross-paths and watched the elegant assembly. Carlotta, vastly
entertained, asked innumerable questions. How could I tell whether a
lady was married or unmarried? Did they all wear stays? Why did every
one look so happy? Did I think that old man was the young girl's
husband? What were they all talking about? Wouldn't I take her for a
drive in one of those beautiful carriages? Why hadn't I a carriage? Then
suddenly, as if inspired, after a few minutes' silent reflection:

"Seer Marcous, is this the marriage market?"

"The what?" I gasped.

"The marriage market. I read it in a book, yesterday. Miss Griggs gave
it me to read aloud--Tack--Thack--"

"Thackeray?"

"Ye-es. They come here to sell the young girls to men who want wives."
She edged away from me, with a little movement of alarm. "That is not
why you have brought me here--to sell me?"

"How much do you think you would be worth?" I asked, sarcastically.

She opened out her hands palms upward, throwing down her parasol, as she
did so, upon her neighbour's little Belgian griffon, who yelped.

"Ch, lots," she said in her frank way. "I am very beautiful."

I picked up the parasol, bowed apologetically to the owner of the
stricken animal, and addressed Carlotta.

"Listen, my good child. You are passably good-looking, but you are by
no means very beautiful. If I tried to sell you here, you might possibly
fetch half a crown--"

"Two shillings and sixpence?" asked the literal Carlotta.

"Yes. Just that. But as a matter of fact, no one would buy you. This is
not the marriage market. There is no such thing as a marriage market.
English mothers and fathers do not sell their daughters for money. Such
a thing is monstrous and impossible."

"Then it was all lies I read in the book?"

"All lies," said I.

I hope the genial shade of the great satirist has forgiven me.

"Why do they