never to
forget being proud":--it was the pass-word to her morbid system.

And the vicar, and dear little Miss Pimpernell, and Monsieur Parole
d'Honneur--how can I speak of all their kindness--evinced in many, many
ways--ere I left the old parish and its whilom associations behind me?

Little Miss Pimpernell worked a supply of knitted socks, "comforters,"
and muffetees, sufficient to last me for a three years' cruise in the
Polar circle in search of the north-west passage. The vicar gave me
letters of introduction to some American friends of his, who received me
afterwards most kindly in virtue of his credentials--he wanted to do
much more for me, but I would not allow him; and as for Monsieur, he
_would_ not be denied, in spite of my telling him, over and over again,
that I had no need of temporal assistance.

"Ah! but yes!" he said to me, in a parting visit he paid me the night
before I started. "You cannote deceives me, my youngish friends!
Lamartine was un republicain, he?--Bien, he go un voyage en Orient; you,
my dears Meestaire Lorton, are going to walk on a voyage en Ouest--dat
is vraisemble. Ha! ha! Ze one visite the Arabes of ze old world, ze
oders ze Arabes of ze nouvelle; and,--bote requires ze money, ze
l'argent, ze cash. Ha! ha! Non, my youngish friends, you cannote
deceives me!"

"But, I assure you, Monsieur Parole," I replied. "I really have
plenty--much more, indeed, than I absolutely require."

"Ah! but yes! My dears, you _moost_ take him to obliges me. I have
gote here a leetle somme I doos note want. If you takes him note, I
peetch him avays--peetch him avays, vraiment!"

And he handed me a little roll of banknotes, which I subsequently found
to contain a hundred pounds.

It was, as I say, of no use my trying to get him to take them back; he
would have no denial:--he absolutely got offended with me when I
persisted in my refusal.

"Non!" he said. "When you come back a reech mans, you can pays me back;
but, note till den! Non, Monsieur Lorton! I believes you considers me
a friend. You offend me if you refuse! Take hims for ze memory de
notre amitie!"

What could I do? I had to take the money after that.

The only _great_ thing that grieved me at parting was the thought that I
could not see Min, to have one parting word; but, even that favour was
afforded me:--God was very good to me!

I had gone to the vicarage to say a last good-bye to the dear friends
there. I was ushe