the elders, and Lord Silverbridge
soon found himself walking alone with Miss Boncassen. It seemed to
her to be quite natural to do so, and there certainly was no reason
why he should decline anything so pleasant. It was thus that he had
intended to walk with Mabel Grex;--only as yet he had not found her.
"Oh yes," said Miss Boncassen, when they had been together about
twenty minutes; "we shall be here all the summer, and all the fall,
and all the winter. Indeed father means to read every book in the
British Museum before he goes back."

"He'll have something to do."

"He reads by steam, and he has two or three young men with him to
take it all down and make other books out of it;--just as you'll see
a lady take a lace shawl and turn it all about till she has trimmed
a petticoat with it. It is the same lace all through,--and so I tell
father it's the same knowledge."

"But he puts it where more people will find it."

"The lady endeavours to do the same with the lace. That depends on
whether people look up or down. Father however is a very learned man.
You mustn't suppose that I am laughing at him. He is going to write a
very learned book. Only everybody will be dead before it can be half
finished." They still went on together, and then he gave her his arm
and took her into the place where the strawberries and cream were
prepared. As he was going in he saw Mabel Grex walking with Tregear,
and she bowed to him pleasantly and playfully. "Is that lady a great
friend of yours?" asked Miss Boncassen.

"A very great friend indeed."

"She is very beautiful."

"And clever as well,--and good as gold."

"Dear me! Do tell me who it is that owns all these qualities."

"Lady Mabel Grex. She is daughter of Lord Grex. That man with her
is my particular friend. His name is Frank Tregear, and they are
cousins."

"I am so glad they are cousins."

"Why glad?"

"Because his being with her won't make you unhappy."

"Supposing I was in love with her,--which I am not,--do you suppose
it would make me jealous to see her with another man?"

"In our country it would not. A young lady may walk about with a
young gentleman just as she might with another young lady; but I
thought it was different here. Do you know, judging by English ways,
I believe I am behaving very improperly in walking about with you so
long. Ought I not to tell you to go away?"

"Pray do not."

"As I am going to stay here so long I wish to behave well to En