st, some day."

"I wonder if they're married," said Philippa laughing, and refusing to
enter upon the wrongs of England toward the colonies; "they are
fighting, I believe, and thus I presume they are united in
marriage--by some parson Crow!"

Mowbray only smiled slightly, and looked at his watch.

"What! not going!" cried Philippa.

"Pardon," he said; "I just rode out for an hour. We have a lecture in
half an hour."

"And you prefer the excellent Dr. Small or some other reverend
gentleman to myself--the collegiate to the sylvan, the male to the
female lecturer?"

He smiled wearily.

"Our duties are becoming more exacting," he said; "the examination is
approaching."

"I should suppose so--you have not been to see me for a whole week."

A flush passed over Mowbray's brow; then it became as pale as before.

"Our acquaintance has not been an extended one," he said; "I could not
intrude upon your society."

"Intrude!"

And abandoning completely her laughing cynical manner, Philippa gave
him a look which made him tremble. Why was that excitement? Because he
thought he had fathomed her; because he had convinced himself that she
was a coquette, amusing herself at his expense; because he saw all his
dreams, his illusions, his hopes pass away with the fleeting minutes.
He replied simply:

"Yes, madam--even now I fear I am trespassing upon your time; you
probably await my departure to betake yourself to your morning's
amusement. I was foolish enough to imagine that I had not completely
lost my powers of conversation, buried as I have been in books. I
was mistaken--I no longer jest--I am a poor companion. Then," he
added, "we are so uncongenial--at least this morning. I will come some
day when I am gay, and you sad--then we shall probably approximate in
_mood_, and until then farewell."

She would have detained him; "Don't go!" was on her lips; but at the
moment when Mowbray bowed low, a shout of laughter was heard in the
passage, and three persons entered--Jacques, Belle-bouche, and Sir
Asinus.

CHAPTER V.

IN WHICH SIR ASINUS MAKES AS IGNOMINIOUS RETREAT.

Sir Asinus was apparently in high spirits, and smoothed the nap of his
cocked hat with his sleeve--the said sleeve being of Mecklenburg
silk--in a way which indicated the summit of felicity.

He seemed to inhale the May morning joyously after his late
imprisonment; and he betook himself immediately to paying assiduous
court to Miss Belle-bouche