, excuses it by an assertion,--made to themselves
or others,--that children customarily like those things which they
ought not to like. But the judge had an idea quite opposed to this.
Children, he said, if properly trained would like those things which
were good for them. Now it may be that he thought his daughter had
been properly trained.

"He is a very clever young man, my dear; you may be sure of that,"
were the last words which the judge said to his wife that night.

"But then he has got nothing," she replied; "and he is so uncommonly
plain."

The judge would not say a word more, but he could not help thinking
that this last point was one which might certainly be left to the
young lady.

CHAPTER XLVIII

THE ANGEL OF LIGHT UNDER A CLOUD

On the following morning, according to appointment, the judge visited
Felix Graham in his room. It was only the second occasion on which he
had done so since the accident, and he was therefore more inclined to
regard him as an invalid than those who had seen him from day to day.

"I am delighted to hear that your bones have been so amenable," said
the judge. "But you must not try them too far. We'll get you down
stairs into the drawing-room, and see how you get on there by the
next few days."

"I don't want to trouble you more than I can help," said Felix,
sheepishly. He knew that there were reasons why he should not go
into that drawing-room, but of course he could not guess that those
reasons were as well known to the judge as they were to himself.

"You sha'n't trouble us--more than you can help. I am not one of
those men who tell my friends that nothing is a trouble. Of course
you give trouble."

"I am so sorry!"

"There's your bed to make, my dear fellow, and your gruel to warm.
You know Shakspeare pretty well by heart I believe, and he puts that
matter,--as he did every other matter,--in the best and truest point
of view. Lady Macbeth didn't say she had no labour in receiving the
king. 'The labour we delight in physics pain,' she said. Those were
her words, and now they are mine."

"With a more honest purpose behind," said Felix.

"Well, yes; I've no murder in my thoughts at present. So that is all
settled, and Lady Staveley will be delighted to see you down stairs
to-morrow."

"I shall be only too happy," Felix answered, thinking within his own
mind that he must settle it all in the course of the day with
Augustus.

"And now perhaps you will be