ay: "Excellent! Quite unobjectionable, dear Martin,
quite:" so she said, and emphatically; but the addition of the word
"only" was printed on her contracted brow, and every faculty of Tinman's
mind and nature being at strain just then, he asked her testily: "What
now? what's the fault now?" She assured him with languor that there was
not a fault. "It's not your way of talking," said he, and what he said
was true. His discernment was extraordinary; generally he noticed
nothing.

Not only were his perceptions quickened by the preparations for the day
of great splendour: day of a great furnace to be passed through
likewise!--he, was learning English at an astonishing rate into the
bargain. A pronouncing Dictionary lay open on his table. To this he flew
at a hint of a contrary method, and disputes, verifications and triumphs
on one side and the other ensued between brother and sister. In his heart
the agitated man believed his sister to be a misleading guide. He dared
not say it, he thought it, and previous to his African travel through the
Dictionary he had thought his sister infallible on these points. He dared
not say it, because he knew no one else before whom he could practice,
and as it was confidence that he chiefly wanted--above all things,
confidence and confidence comes of practice, he preferred the going on
with his practice to an absolute certainty as to correctness.

At midday came another card from Mr. Van Diemen Smith bearing the
superscription: alias Phil R.

"Can it be possible," Tinman asked his sister, "that Philip Ribstone has
had the audacity to return to this country? I think," he added, "I am
right in treating whoever sends me this card as a counterfeit."

Martha's advice was, that he should take no notice of the card.

"I am seriously engaged," said Tinman. With a "Now then, dear," he
resumed his labours.

Messages had passed between Tinman and Phippun; and in the afternoon
Phippun appeared to broach the question of payment for the chiwal-glass.
He had seen Mr. Van Diemen Smith, had found him very strange, rather
impracticable. He was obliged to tell Tinman that he must hold him
responsible for the glass; nor could he send a second until payment was
made for the first. It really seemed as if Tinman would be compelled, by
the force of circumstances, to go and shake his old friend by the hand.
Otherwise one could clearly see the man might be off: he might be off at
any minute, leaving a legal con