"What a hot little patriot this child is!" said the father, with a quiet

smile at her. "What would she say to an Englishman, who was more French

than English, and would only write French letters? And yet it might be

possible to find such people."

"If such a wretch existed," cried Miss Twemlow, "I should like to

crunch him as I crunch this toast. For a Frenchman I can make all fair

allowance, because he cannot help his birth. But for an Englishman to

turn Frenchman--"

"However reluctant we may be to allow it," the candid rector argued,

"they are the foremost nation in the world, just now, for energy,

valour, decision, discipline, and I fear I must add patriotism. The

most wonderful man who has appeared in the world for centuries is their

leader, and by land his success has been almost unbroken. If we must

have war again, as I fear we must, and very speedily, our chief hope

must be that the Lord will support His cause against the scoffer and the

infidel, the libertine and the assassin."

"You see how beautifully your father puts it, Eliza; but he never abuses

people. That is a habit in which, I am sorry to say, you indulge too

freely. You show no good feeling to anybody who differs from you in

opinion, and you talk as if Frenchmen had no religion, no principles,

and no humanity. And what do you know about them, pray? Have you ever

spoken to a Frenchman? Have you ever even seen one? Would you know one

if you even set eyes upon him?"

"Well, I am not at all sure that I should," the young lady replied,

being thoroughly truthful; "and I have no wish for the opportunity. But

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