h my father's leave. That would
be out of the question. And therefore, as I say, there would be a
difficulty."

"I would never see him,--except with your sanction,--nor write to
him,--nor receive letters from him. You are not to suppose that I
would give him up. I shall never do that. I shall go on and wait.
When a girl has once brought herself to tell a man that she loves
him, according to my idea she cannot give him up. There are things
which cannot be changed. I could have lived very well without
thinking of him had I not encouraged myself to love him. But I have
done that, and now he must be everything to me."

"I am sorry that it should be so."

"It is so. But if you will take me to Hendon I will never see him
till I have papa's leave. It is my duty to obey him,--but not her."

"I am not quite clear about that."

"She has rejected me as a daughter, and therefore I reject her as a
mother. She would get rid of us both if she could."

"You should not attribute to her any such thoughts."

"If you saw her as often as I do you would know. She hates you almost
as much as me,--though she cannot show it so easily."

"That she should hate my theories I can easily understand."

"You stand in her way."

"Of course I do. It is natural that a woman should wish to have the
best for her own children. I have sometimes myself felt it to be
a pity that Frederic should have an elder brother. Think what a
gallant young Marquis he would make, while I am altogether out of my
element."

"That is nonsense, John."

"I ought to have been a tailor. Tailors, I think, are generally the
most ill-conditioned, sceptical, and patriotic of men. Had my natural
propensities been sharpened by the difficulty of maintaining a wife
and children upon seven and sixpence a day, I really think I could
have done something to make myself conspicuous. As it is, I am
neither one thing nor another; neither fish nor fowl nor good red
herring. To the mind devoted to marquises I can understand that I
should be a revolting being. I have no aptitudes for aristocratic
prettinesses. Her ladyship has three sons, either of which would make
a perfect marquis. How is it possible that she should not think that
I am standing in her way?"

"But she knew of your existence when she married papa."

"No doubt she did;--but that does not alter her nature. I think I
could find it in my heart to forgive her, even though she attempted
to poison me, so much do I stand