ss Cecil," remarked Blanche, at dinner.
"Isn't it dull without her, Sydney?"

"I didn't perceive it," said the Colonel, calmly; "but I am very sorry
for the cause of her absence."

"Well, by Jove! it sounds unfeeling; but I can't say I am," murmured
Horace. "It's something to have saved such a deuced pretty girl as
that."

"Curse that puppy," muttered Syd to his champagne glass. "A fool that
isn't fit for her to look at----"

Syd's and my room, in the bachelors' wing, adjoin each other; and as our
windows both possess the convenience of balconies, we generally smoke in
them, and hold a little chat before turning in. When I stepped out into
my balcony that night, Syd was already puffing away at his pipe. Perhaps
his Cavendish was unusually good, for he did not seem greatly inclined
to talk, but leant over the balcony, looking out into the clear frosty
night, with the winter stars shining on the wide white uplands and the
leafless glittering trees.

"What's that?" said he sharply, as the notes of a cornet playing, and
playing badly, Halevy's air, "Quand de la Nuit," struck on the night
air.

"A serenade, I suppose."

"A serenade in the snow. Who is romantic idiot enough for that?" said
Vivian contemptuously, nearly pitching himself over to see where the
cornet came from. It came from under Cecil's windows, where a light was
still burning. The player looked uncommonly like Cossetting wrapped up
in a cloak with a wide-awake on, under which the moonlight showed us
some fair hair peeping.

Vivian drew back with an oath he did not mean me to hear. He laughed
scornfully. "Milk-posset, of course! There is no other fool in the
house. His passion must be miraculously deep to drag him out of his bed
into the snow to play some false notes to his lady-love. It's rather
windy, don't you think, Ned. Good night, old fellow--and, I say, don't
turn little Blanche's head with your pretty speeches. You and I are
bound not to flirt, since we're sworn never to marry; and I don't want
the child played with, though possibly (being a woman) she'd very soon
recover it."

With which sarcasm on his sister and her sex, the Colonel shut down the
window with a clang; and I remained, smoking four pipes and a half,
meditating on his last words, for I _had_ been playing with the child,
and felt (inhuman brute! the ladies will say) that I should be sorry if
she _did_ recover it.

III.

SHOWING THAT LOVE-MAKING ON HOLY GROUND DOESN'T