a man does not love a woman, is it not disgraceful
in the full sense of that word, madam, to unite himself to her, or
rather to her money bags, only that he may procure the means of living
in luxury, and gratifying his expensive tastes and vices?"

"If he does not _love_ her, you say. _Love!_ that is a very pretty
word, and rhymes, I believe, to _dove_! Well, sir, you have endeavored
to establish your point by the aid of two delightful phrases, 'the
hand and not the _heart_'--'the man who does not _love_ a
woman'--beautiful words, only I don't believe in them. Now be good
enough to explain your third point:--how is it too 'expensive' to
marry a wealthy woman? I know you gentlemen at the college are
inveterate logicians, and find little difficulty in proving that twice
two's five, and that black is irreproachable white--that fire is
cold--ice, hot--smoke, heavy--and lead light as thistle-down. Still I
imagine you will find it difficult to show that 'tis _expensive_ to
marry, let us say, fifty thousand pounds a year!"

Mowbray looked at her face a moment, and sighed; a great hope seemed
to be leaving him; when he spoke, it was with manifest repugnance.

"Let us dismiss this singular subject, madam," he said calmly; "I
spoke too thoughtlessly. See that lovely humming-bird around the
honeysuckle, searching in vain for honey."

"As I do for your reasons, sir," said Philippa curtly.

"My reasons?"

"You refuse to explain----"

"Well, well--I see you will compel me to speak. Well, madam, my
meaning is very simple. When I say that it is too 'expensive' to unite
oneself to a woman solely because that woman has for her portion a
great fortune, a large income, every luxury and elegance to endow her
husband with--I mean simply that if this woman be uncongenial, if her
husband care nothing for her, only her fortune, then that he will
necessarily be unhappy, and that unhappiness is cheaply bought with
millions. Money only goes a certain way--tell me when it bought a
heart! Mine, madam, it will never buy at least--if you will permit me
to utter a sentence in such bad taste. And now let us abandon this
discussion, which leads us into such serious moods."

She turned away, and looked through the window.

Two birds were playfully contending in the air, and filling the groves
with their joyous carolling.

"How free they are!" she murmured.

"The birds? Yes, madam, they live in delightful liberty, as we of
America will, I tru