down from here to do the work the
men there ought to do? How are the men there to get their wages?"

"That is the essence of boycotting," said Frank. "The men there won't
get their wages, and can only live by robbing the governor and men
like him of their rents. And in that way they can't live long.
Everything will be disturbed and ruined."

"It seems to me," said Rachel, "that the whole country is coming to
an end."

"Your father is Member of Parliament now, and of course he will set
it all to rights."

"He will at any rate do his best to do so," said Rachel, "and will
rob no man in the doing it. What do you mean to do with yourself?"

"Stick to the ship till it sinks, and then go down with it."

"And your sisters?"

"They are of the same way of thinking, I take it. They are not good
at inventing any way of getting out of their troubles; but they know
how to endure."

"Now, Frank," said she, "shall I give you a bit of advice?"

"Oh yes! I like advice."

"You wanted to kiss me just now."

"That was natural at any rate."

"No, it wasn't;--because you and I are two. When a young man and a
young woman are two they shouldn't kiss any more. That is logic."

"I don't know about logic."

"At any rate it is something of the same sort. It is the kind of
thing everybody believes in if they want to go right. You and I want
to go right, don't we?"

"I believe so."

"Of course we do," and she took hold of his arm and shook him. "It
would break your heart if you didn't think I was going right, and why
shouldn't I be as anxious about you? Now for my piece of advice. I am
going to make a lot of money."

"I am glad to hear it."

"Come and share it with me. I would have shared yours if you had made
a lot. You must call me Madame de Iona, or some such name as that.
The name does not matter, but the money will be all there. Won't it
be grand to be able to help your father and your sisters! Only you
men are so beastly proud. Isn't it honest money,--money that has come
by singing?"

"Certainly it is."

"And if the wife earns it instead of the husband;--isn't that honest?
And then you know," she said, looking up into his face, "you can kiss
me right away. Isn't that an inducement?"

The offer was an inducement, but the conversation only ended in a
squabble. She rebuked him for his dishonesty, in taking the kiss
without acceding to the penalty, and he declared that according to
his view of the case, he could not b