pect you to live in Stornoway at least
half the year, and it will be very hard on him if you don't."

"Oh, as to that," said the other, "I should have no objection; but,
you see, if I am to get married I really think I ought to try to get
into some position of earning my own living or helping toward it, you
know. I begin to see how galling this sort of dependence on my aunt
might be if I wished to act for myself. Now, if I were to begin to
do anything, I could not go and bury myself in Lewis for half the
year--just at first: by and by, you know, it might be different. But
don't you think I ought to begin and do something?"

"Most certainly. I have often wished you had been born a carpenter or
painter or glazier."

"People are not born carpenters or glaziers, but sometimes they are
born painters. I think I have been born nothing; but I am willing to
try, more especially as I think Sheila would like it."

"I know she would."

"I will write and tell her the moment I get to London."

"I would fix first what your occupation was to be, if I were you.
There is no hurry about telling Sheila, although she will be very glad
to get as much news of you as possible, and I hope you will spare
no time or trouble in pleasing her in that line. By the way, what an
infamous shame it was of you to go and gammon old Mackenzie into the
belief that he can read poetry! Why, he will make that girl's life a
burden to her. I heard him propose to read _Paradise Lost_ to her as
soon as the rain set in."

"I didn't gammon him," said Lavender with a laugh. "Every man thinks
he can read poetry better than every other man, even as every man
fancies that no one gets cigars as good and as cheap as he does, and
that no one can drive a horse safely but himself. My talking about
his reading was not as bad as Sheila's persuading him that he can
play whist. Did you ever know a man who did not believe that everybody
else's reading of poetry was affected, stilted and unbearable? I
know Mackenzie must have been reading poetry to Sheila long before I
mentioned it to him."

"But that suggestion about his resonant voice and the Crystal Palace?"

"That was a joke."

"He did not take it as a joke, and neither did Sheila."

"Well, Sheila would believe that her father could command the Channel
fleet, or turn out the present ministry, or build a bridge to America,
if only anybody hinted it to her. Touching that Crystal Palace: did
you observe how little no