?"

"There was a strange, I had almost said wild, admixture of irony and
concern in his manner, that is inexplicable! He certainly uttered nonsense
part of the time: but, then, he did not appear to do it without a serious
object. Gertrude, you are not as familiar with nautical expressions as
myself: and perhaps you are ignorant that your good aunt, in her
admiration of a profession that she has certainly a right to love,
sometimes makes"----

"I know it--I know it; at least I often think so," the other interrupted,
in a manner which plainly manifested that she found no pleasure in
dwelling on the disagreeable subject. "It was exceedingly presuming Madam,
in a stranger, however, to amuse himself, if he did it, with so amiable
and so trivial a weakness, if indeed weakness it be."

"It was," Mrs Wyllys steadily continued--she having, very evidently, such
other matter in her thoughts as to be a little inattentive to the
sensitive feelings of her companion;--"and yet he did not appear to me
like one of those empty minds that find a pleasure in exposing the follies
of others. You may remember, Gertrude, that yesterday, while at the ruin,
Mrs de Lacey made some remarks expressive of her admiration of a ship
under sail."

"Yes, yes, I remember them," said the niece, a little impatiently.

"One of her terms was particularly incorrect, as I happened to know from
my own familiarity with the language of sailors."

"I thought as much, by the expression of your eye," returned Gertrude;
"but"--

"Listen, my love. It certainly was not remarkable that a lady should make
a trifling error in the use of so peculiar a language, but it is singular
that a seaman himself should commit the same fault in precisely the same
words. This did the youth of whom we are speaking; and, what is no less
surprising the old man assented to the same, just as if they had been
correctly uttered."

"Perhaps," said Gertrude, in a low tone, "they may have heard, that
attachment to this description of conversation is a foible of Mrs de
Lacey. I am sure, after this, dear Madam, you cannot any longer consider
the stranger a gentleman!"

"I should think no more about it, love, were it not for a feeling I can
neither account for nor define. I would I could again see him!"

A slight exclamation from her companion interrupted her words; and, the
next instant, the subject of her thoughts leaped the wall, apparently in
quest of the rattan that had fallen at th