he queen of your heart--the fountain of your illusions and
your dreams. The waking will be unpleasant; pray Heaven you may never
wake as I have with a mind which is becoming sour--a heart which is
learning to distrust whatever is most fair in human nature. Let us
dismiss the subject now. I am glad I felt this impulse to open my
heart to you, a stranger, though a friend. We often whisper into a
strange ear what our closest friends would ask in vain. See, there is
his Excellency's chariot with its six white horses, and look what a
graceful bow he makes us!"

Mowbray walked on without betraying the least evidence of emotion. He
seemed perfectly calm.

CHAPTER XI.

HOW HOFFLAND FOUND THAT HE HAD LEFT HIS KEY BEHIND.

They entered the town in silence, and both of the young men seemed
busy with their thoughts. Mowbray's face wore its habitual expression
of collected calmness; as to Hoffland, he was smiling.

Mowbray at last raised his head, and chasing away his thoughts by a
strong effort, said to his companion:

"You have no dormitory yet, I believe--I mean, that you are not
domiciled at the college. Can I assist you?"

"Oh, thank you; but I am lodged in town."

"Ah?"

"Yes; Doctor Small procured permission for me."

"Where is your room, Charles?--I shall come and see you."

"Just down there, somewhere," said Hoffland dubiously.

"On Gloucester street?"

"No; just around there," replied the student, pointing in the
direction of the college.

"Well," said Mowbray, "we shall pass it on our way, and I will go up
and see if you are comfortably fixed. I may be able to give you some
advice--I am an old member of the commissary department.

"Oh, thank you," said Hoffland quickly; "but I believe every thing is
very well arranged."

"Can you judge?" smiled Mowbray.

"Yes, indeed," Hoffland said, turning away his head and laughing;
"better than you can, perhaps."

"I doubt it."

"You grown lords of the creation fancy you know so much!" said
Hoffland.

Mowbray caught the merry contagion, and smiling, said:

"Nevertheless, I insist upon going to see if my new brother Charles is
comfortably established."

Hoffland bit his lip.

"This is the place, is it not?" asked Mowbray.

Hoffland hesitated for a moment, and then replied with an embarrassed
tone:

"Yes--but--let us go on."

"No," Mowbray said, "I am very obstinate; and as Lucy will not expect
me now until tea-time, I am determined to devote