did you mean by
that 'only'?"

"Why, I don't think this letter will end the business; at least,
I'm afraid not."

"But what more could I have said?"

"Nothing _more_, certainly; but couldn't you have keep a little
quieter--it's difficult to get the right word--a little cooler,
perhaps. Couldn't you have made the part about not seeing her
again a little more decided?"

"But you said I needn't pretend I didn't care for her."

"Did I?"

"Yes. Besides, it would have been a lie."

"I don't want you to tell a lie, certainly. But how about this
'small remembrance' that you speak of? What's that?"

"Oh, nothing; only a little locket I bought for her."

"With some of your hair in it?"

"Well of course. Come now, there's no harm in that."

"No; no harm. Do you think she will wear it?"

"How can I tell?"

"It may make her think it isn't all at an end, I'm afraid. If she
always wears your hair--"

"By Jove, you're too bad, Hardy. I wish you had had to write it
yourself. It's all very easy to pull my letter to pieces, I dare
say, but--"

"I didn't want to read it, remember."

"No more you did. I forgot. But I wish you would just write down
now what you would have said."

"Yes, I think I see myself at it. By the way, of course you have
sent your letter?"

"Yes, I sent it off before chapel."

"I thought so. In that case I don't think we need trouble
ourselves further with the form of the document."

"Oh, that's only shirking. How do you know I may not want it for
the next occasion?"

"No, no! Don't let us begin laughing about it. A man never ought
to have to write such letters twice in his life. If he has, why,
he may get a good enough precedent for the second out of the
'Complete Letter Writer'.

"So you won't correct my copy?"

"No, not I."

At this point in their dialogue, Captain Hardy appeared on the
scene, and the party went off to Drysdale's to breakfast.

Captain Hardy's visit to St. Ambrose was a great success. He
stayed some four or five days, and saw everything that was to be
seen, and enjoyed it all in a sort of reverent way which was
almost comic. Tom devoted himself to the work of cicerone, and
did his best to do the work thoroughly. Oxford was a sort of
Utopia to the Captain, who was resolutely bent on seeing nothing
but beauty and learning and wisdom within the precincts of the
University. On one or two occasions his faith was tried sorely by
the sight of young gentlemen gracefull