in that comprehensive mind. When the servant
brought in the tray, with the claret and soda-water, she sent for Miss
Minerva to join them, and hear the good news; completely ignoring the
interruption of their friendly relations, earlier in the evening. She
became festive and facetious at the sight of the soda-water. "Let us
imitate the men, Miss Minerva, and drink a toast before we go to bed.
Be cheerful, Carmina, and share half a bottle of soda-water with me. A
pleasant journey to Ovid, and a safe return!" Cheered by the influences
of conviviality, the friend of Professors, the tender nurse of
half-developed tadpoles, lapsed into learning again. Mrs. Gallilee
improvised an appropriate little lecture on Canada--on the botany of the
Dominion; on the geology of the Dominion; on the number of gallons of
water wasted every hour by the falls of Niagara. "Science will set it
all right, my dears; we shall make that idle water work for us, one of
these days. Good-night, Miss Minerva! Dear Carmina, pleasant dreams!"

Safe in the solitude of her bedroom, the governess ominously knitted her
heavy eyebrows.

"In all my experience," she thought, "I never saw Mrs. Gallilee in such
spirits before. What mischief is she meditating, when she has got rid of
her son?"

CHAPTER XIX.

The lapse of a few hours exercised no deteriorating influence on Mrs.
Gallilee's amiability.

On the next day, thanks to his mother's interference, Ovid was left in
the undisturbed enjoyment of Carmina's society. Not only Miss Minerva,
but even Mr. Gallilee and the children, were kept out of the way with a
delicately-exercised dexterity, which defied the readiest suspicion to
take offence. In one word, all that sympathy and indulgence could do to
invite Ovid's confidence, was unobtrusively and modestly done. Never had
the mistress of domestic diplomacy reached her ends with finer art.

In the afternoon, a messenger delivered Benjulia's reply to Mrs.
Gallilee's announcement of her son's contemplated journey--despatched by
the morning's post. The doctor was confined to the house by an attack of
gout. If Ovid wanted information on the subject of Canada, Ovid must go
to him, and get it. That was all.

"Have you ever been to Doctor Benjulia's house?" Carmina asked.

"Never."

"Then all you have told me about him is mere report? Now you will find
out the truth! Of course you will go?"

Ovid felt no desire to make a voyage of exploration to Benjulia'