is opening the lid of Pandora's box; one is betrayed,
ruined, undone!"

"Why? there's not a soul that can hear us!" said Mrs. Riccabocca,
soothingly.

"That's chance, ma'am! If you once contract the habit of blabbing out a
secret when nobody's by, how on earth can you resist it when you have the
pleasurable excitement of telling it to all the world? Vanity,
vanity--woman's vanity! Woman never could withstand rank--never!" The Doctor
went on railing for a quarter of an hour, and was very reluctantly
appeased by Mrs. Riccabocca's repeated and tearful assurances that she
would never even whisper to herself that her husband had ever held any
other rank than that of Doctor. Riccabocca, with a dubious shake of the
head, renewed:

"I have done with all pomp and pretension. Besides, the young man is a
born gentleman; he seems in good circumstances; he has energy and latent
ambition; he is akin to L'Estrange's intimate friend; he seems attached to
Violante. I don't think it probable that we could do better. Nay, if
Peschiera fears that I shall be restored to my country, and I learn the
wherefore, and the ground to take, through this young man--why, gratitude
is the first virtue of the noble!"

"You speak, then, of Mr. Leslie?"

"To be sure--of whom else?"

Mrs. Riccabocca leaned her cheek on her hand, thoughtfully: "Now, you have
told me _that_, I will observe him with different eyes."

"_Anima mia!_ I don't see how the difference of your eyes will alter the
object they look upon!" grumbled Riccabocca, shaking the ashes out of his
pipe.

"The object alters when we see it in a different point of view!" replied
Jemima, modestly. "This thread does very well when I look at it in order
to sew a button on, but I should say it would never do to tie up Pompey in
his kennel."

"Reasoning by illustration, upon my soul!" ejaculated Riccabocca, amazed.

"And," continued Jemima, "when I am to regard one who is to constitute the
happiness of that dear child, and for life, can I regard him as I would
the pleasantest guest of an evening? Ah, trust me, Alphonso--I don't
pretend to be wise like you--but, when a woman considers what a man is
likely to prove to woman--his sincerity--his honor--his heart--oh, trust me,
she is wiser than the wisest man!"

Riccabocca continued to gaze on Jemima with unaffected admiration and
surprise. And, certainly, to use his phrase, since he had unbosomed
himself to his better half--since he had conf