all the world over, and her
money will be thought of quite as much there as here."

"But she will have such a spot upon her."

"Spot! What spot?"

"As the daughter of the first deposited of the Fixed Period
people,--if ever that comes off. Or if it don't, she'll be talked
about as her who was to be. I don't suppose any Englishman will think
of marrying her."

This made me very angry. "What!" I said. "Do you, a Britannulist
and my wife, intend to turn the special glory of Britannula to the
disgrace of her people? That which we should be ready to claim as
the highest honour,--as being an advance in progress and general
civilisation never hitherto even thought of among other people,--to
have conceived that, and to have prepared it, in every detail for
perfect consummation,--that is to be accounted as an opprobrium to
our children, by you, the Lady President of the Republic! Have you
no love of country, no patriotism, no feeling at any rate of what
has been done for the world's welfare by your own family?" I own
I did feel vexed when she spoke of Eva as having been as it were
contaminated by being a Britannulist, because of the law enacting the
Fixed Period.

"She'd better face it out at home than go across the world to hear
what other people say of us. It may be all very well as far as state
wisdom goes; but the world isn't ripe for it, and we shall only be
laughed at."

There was truth in this, and a certain amount of concession had also
been made. I can fancy that an easy-going butterfly should laugh
at the painful industry of the ant; and I should think much of the
butterfly who should own that he was only a butterfly because it was
the age of butterflies. "The few wise," said I, "have ever been the
laughing-stock of silly crowds."

"But Eva isn't one of the wise," she replied, "and would be laughed
at without having any of your philosophy to support her. However, I
don't suppose the man is thinking of it."

But the young man was thinking of it; and had so far made up his mind
before he went as to ask Eva to marry him out of hand and return with
him to England. We heard of it when the time came, and heard also
that Eva had declared that she could not make up her mind so quickly.
That was what was said when the time drew near for the departure
of the yacht. But we did not hear it direct from Eva, nor yet from
Crasweller. All these tidings came to us from Jack, and Jack was in
this instance somewhat led astra