abined, cribbed, confined to rational conversation, and I
shall not be expected to--(good-night, little flaxen angel; good-by,
handsome and loquacious demon; kiss and be friends)--expected to know,
all in a minute, what is a parson's brat. By-the-by, talking of
parsons, what has become of Angelo?"

"He has been away a good many years. Consumption, I hear."

"He was a fine-built fellow too; was he not, Lady Bassett?"

"I don't know; but he was beautifully strong. I think I see him now
carrying dear Charles in his arms all down the garden."

"Ah, you see he was raised in a university that does not do things by
halves, but trains both body and mind, as they did at Athens; for the
union of study and athletic sports is spoken of as a novelty, but it is
only a return to antiquity."

Here letters were brought by the second post. Sir Charles glanced at
his, and sent them to his study. Lady Bassett had but one. She said,
_"May_ I?" to both gentlemen, and then opened it.

"How strange!" said she. "It is from Mr. Angelo: just a line to say he
is coming home quite cured."

She began this composedly, but blushed afterward--blushed quite red.

_"May_ I?" said she, and tossed it delicately half-way to Rolfe. He
handed it to Sir Charles.

Some remarks were then made about the coincidence, and nothing further
passed worth recording at that time.

Next day Lady Bassett, with instinctive curiosity, asked Master
Reginald how he came to put such a question as that to Mr. Rolfe.

"Because I wanted to know."

"But what put such words into your head? I never heard a gentleman say
such words; and you must never say them again, Reginald."

"Tell me what it means, and I won't," said he.

"Oh," said Lady Bassett, "since you bargain with me, sir, I must
bargain with you. Tell me first where you ever heard such words."

"When I was staying at nurse's. Ah, that was jolly."

"You like that better than being here?"

"Yes."

"I am sorry for that. Well, dear, did nurse say that? Surely not?"

"Oh, no; it was the man."

"What man?"

"Why, the man that came to the gate one morning, and talked to me, and
I talked to him, and that nasty nurse ran out and caught us, and
carried me in, and gave me such a hiding, and all for nothing."

"A hiding! What words the poor child picks up! But I don't understand
why nurse should beat _you."_

"For speaking to the man. She said he was a bad man, and she would kill
me if ever I spoke to him a