dream even for one moment--"

"I am not going to talk about that any more. I like Mr. Twemlow, I like

Captain Stubbard, I like old Tugwell--though I should have liked him

better if he had not been so abominably cruel to his son. Now I am sure

it is time to go and get ready for dinner."

"Ah, when shall I dine with you again? Perhaps never," said the young

man, endeavouring to look very miserable and to inspire sadness. "But

I ought to be very happy, on the whole, to think of all the pleasures I

have enjoyed, and how much better I have got on than I had any right in

the world to hope for."

"Yes, to be the Commander of a beautiful ship, little more than a year

from the date of your commission. Captain Stubbard is in such a rage

about it!"

"I don't mean about that--though that of course is rare luck--I mean a

much more important thing; I mean about getting on well with you. The

first time I saw you in that fine old school, you did not even want to

shake hands with me, and you thought what a queer kind of animal I was;

and then the first time or two I dined at the Hall, nothing but fine

hospitality stopped you from laughing at my want of practice. But

gradually, through your own kind nature, and my humble endeavours to be

of use, I began to get on with you better and better; and now you are

beginning almost to like me."

"Not almost, but altogether," she answered, with quite an affectionate

glance. "I can tell you there are very few, outside of my own family,

that I like half so well as I like you. But how can it matter to you so

much?"

She looked at him so that he was afraid to speak, for fear of spoiling

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