few sensible words.'"

"Why do you tell that to me, Mr. Linden?"

"I consider it my duty to keep you well informed as to yours."

"But then!" said Faith, who by dint of trotting had got into as merry a
mood as her gentleness often wore, "I hope you will also think it your
duty, Mr. Linden, to tell me how I can _perform_ mine. Will you?"

"Of course!--please speak a few sensible words to me at once."

"You begin with the easiest thing!" said Faith.

"Yes, I am generally considerate. But as it is part of my duty to hear
a little good music, I am willing you should sing first."

Music he had, though not exactly of the specified sort; for Faith's
laugh rolled along the road, like the chafing of silver pebbles in a
brook.

"Now for the next part," said Mr. Linden smiling.

"I think I have done too much already," said Faith growing grave.
"Besides," she added, the corners of her mouth all alive again, "I
don't remember what the next part is, Mr. Linden."

"Why the sensible words!--what are the most sensible you can think of
on a sudden, Miss Faith?"

"I don't know that I could think of anything very sensible on a sudden,
Mr. Linden. Is it my duty to do it on sudden?"

"It might be, Miss Faith. Indeed I think it is now!"

"What would you like them to be about, Mr. Linden? and I'll try."

"Nay, you may choose: sense is of universal application."

"If I should say what was uppermost," said Faith, "it would be, How
very pleasant what we are doing now, is!"

"Which part?"

"Both parts!--Every part! One makes the other more pleasant." And
Faith's happy face looked so.

"Very sensible words!" said Mr. Linden smiling. "I agree to them
perfectly,--which is, you know, in every mind, the great test of sense.
The picture, Miss Faith, we have before us."

"Yes,--isn't it lovely to-day, Mr. Linden? and hasn't it been lovely
ever since we set out? Except that broken harness--and I don't think
that has hurt anything, either."

"No, I am not sure that even the harness was much the worse. And 'it'
has been very lovely. As for the poem, Miss Faith, you cannot be
trusted with that--and must resign yourself to hearing it read. What
shall it be?"

"I don't know," said Faith. "I know hardly any poetry, Mr. Linden,
except what I have heard you read. Will you read some, perhaps, this
evening?"

"Yes--every evening, if you like,--if we are to follow Goethe's rule.
Just before tea is a good time, don't you think so?"

"Yes