ad been abroad, and how economical his life would be
in a foreign city, they had no greater desire than that he should go
abroad, and there wax as great as might be possible.

One thing that consoled the mother in the heroism of her ambition was
that it was his plan first to spend the long tranquil summer by her
side. Another was that, because her son had set his whole affection upon
learning, it appeared he had no immediate intention of fixing his love
upon any more material maid. In her timid jealousy she loved to come
across this topic with him, not worldly-wise enough to know that the
answers which reassured her did not display the noblest side of his
heart.

"And there wasn't a girl among them all that you fancied, my lad?" With
spotless apron round her portly form she was serving the morning rasher
while Caius and his father sat at meat.

"I wouldn't say that, mother: I fancied them all." Caius spoke with
generous condescension towards the fair.

"Ay," said the father shrewdly, "there's safety in numbers."

"But there wasn't one was particular, Caius?" continued the dame with
gleeful insinuation, because she was assured that the answer was to be
negative. "A likely lad like you should marry; it's part of his duty."

Caius was dense enough not to see her true sentiment. The particular
smile that, in the classification of his facial expressions, belonged to
the subject of love and marriage, played upon his lips while he
explained that when a man got up in the world he could make a better
marriage than he could when comparatively poor and unknown.

Her woman's instinct assured her that the expression and the words arose
from a heart ignorant of the quality of love, and she regarded nothing
else.

The breakfast-room in which they sat had no feature that could render it
attractive to Caius. Although it was warm weather, the windows were
closely shut and never opened; such was the habit of the family, and
even his influence had not strength to break through a regulation which
to his parents appeared so wise and safe. The meadows outside were
brimful of flowers, but no flower found its way into this orderly room.
The furniture had that desolate sort of gaudiness which one sees in the
wares of cheap shops. Cleanliness and godliness were the most
conspicuous virtues exhibited, for the room was spotless, and the map of
Palestine and a large Bible were prominent objects.

The father and mother were in the habit of