myself as of Mr. Hunter. Women, you know, Mr.
Cruse, are nothing in this land."

"Except when imported from Christendom, Mrs. Hunter."

"But I was speaking of gentlemen's toilets. Don't you think the
Turkish dress very becoming? I declare, I shall never bear to see
Charles again in a coat and waistcoat and trousers."

"Nor he you in an ordinary silk gown, puffed out with crinoline."

"Well, I suppose we must live in the East altogether then. I am sure
I should not object. I know one thing--I shall never endure to put a
bonnet on my head again. By-the-by, Mr. Cruse, who is this Sir Lionel
Bertram that has just come? Is he a baronet?"

"Oh dear, no; nothing of that sort, I imagine. I don't quite know who
he is; but that young man is his son."

"They say he's very clever, don't they?"

"He has that sort of boy's cleverness, I dare say, which goes towards
taking a good degree." Mr. Cruse himself had not shone very brightly
at the University.

"Miss Waddington seems very much smitten with him; don't you think
so?"

"Miss Waddington is a beautiful girl; and variable--as beautiful
girls sometimes are."

"Mr. Cruse, don't be satirical."

"'Praise undeserved is satire in disguise,'" said Mr. Cruse, not
quite understanding, himself, why he made the quotation. But it did
exceedingly well. Mrs. Hunter smiled sweetly on him, said that he was
a dangerous man, and that no one would take him to be a clergyman;
upon which Mr. Cruse begged that she would spare his character.

And now they had come to the fountain of Enrogel, and having
dismounted from their steeds, stood clustering about the low wall
which surrounds the little pool of water.

"This, Sir Lionel," said Miss Todd, acting cicerone, "is the fountain
of Enrogel, which you know so well by name."

"Ah!" said Sir Lionel. "It seems rather dirty at present; doesn't
it?"

"That is because the water is so low. When there has been much rain,
there is quite a flood here. Those little gardens and fields there
are the most fertile spot round Jerusalem, because there is so much
irrigation here."

"That's where the Jerusalem artichokes are grown, I suppose."

"It is a singular fact, that though there are plenty of artichokes,
that special plant is unknown," said Mr. M'Gabbery. "Do you remember,
Miss Waddington--"

But Miss Waddington had craftily slipped round the corner of the
wall, and was now admiring Mrs. Hunter's costume, on the other side
of the fountain.