the
hostess's ripe lips. 'And no man wouldn't wonder if I did!'

Mrs Lupin said he amazed her. She was astonished how he could say such
things. She had never thought it of him.

'Why, I never thought if of myself till now!' said Mark, raising his
eyebrows with a look of the merriest possible surprise. 'I always
expected we should part, and never have no explanation; I meant to do it
when I come in here just now; but there's something about you, as makes
a man sensible. Then let us have a word or two together; letting it be
understood beforehand,' he added this in a grave tone, to prevent the
possibility of any mistake, 'that I'm not a-going to make no love, you
know.'

There was for just one second a shade, though not by any means a dark
one, on the landlady's open brow. But it passed off instantly, in a
laugh that came from her very heart.

'Oh, very good!' she said; 'if there is to be no love-making, you had
better take your arm away.'

'Lord, why should I!' cried Mark. 'It's quite innocent.'

'Of course it's innocent,' returned the hostess, 'or I shouldn't allow
it.'

'Very well!' said Mark. 'Then let it be.'

There was so much reason in this that the landlady laughed again,
suffered it to remain, and bade him say what he had to say, and be quick
about it. But he was an impudent fellow, she added.

'Ha ha! I almost think I am!' cried Mark, 'though I never thought so
before. Why, I can say anything to-night!'

'Say what you're going to say if you please, and be quick,' returned the
landlady, 'for I want to get to bed.'

'Why, then, my dear good soul,' said Mark, 'and a kinder woman than you
are never drawed breath--let me see the man as says she did!--what would
be the likely consequence of us two being--'

'Oh nonsense!' cried Mrs Lupin. 'Don't talk about that any more.'

'No, no, but it an't nonsense,' said Mark; 'and I wish you'd attend.
What would be the likely consequence of us two being married? If I can't
be content and comfortable in this here lively Dragon now, is it to be
looked for as I should be then? By no means. Very good. Then you, even
with your good humour, would be always on the fret and worrit, always
uncomfortable in your own mind, always a-thinking as you was getting too
old for my taste, always a-picturing me to yourself as being chained
up to the Dragon door, and wanting to break away. I don't know that it
would be so,' said Mark, 'but I don't know that it mightn't be. I am a
ro