--the women wear such odd caps! And
then WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR--papa says _we_ came in with him; so that we
were Normans once; that is on papa's side--for mamma won't hear that
_she_ had anything to do with it--though papa has often threatened to
get his arms. And now I think of it, FRED, what are _your_ arms?"

"Don't _you_ know?" asked FRED, puckering his mouth--well, like any bud.
"Don't you know?"

"No, I don't;" and I bit my lip and _would_ be serious. "What _are_
they?"

"It's very odd," said he, "very odd. And _you_ are Normans! To think
now, LOTTY, that I should have made you flesh of my flesh, without first
learning where that flesh first came from. You must own, my love, it was
very careless of me. A man doesn't even buy a horse without a pedigree."

(I _did_ look at him!)

"Nevertheless"--and he went on, as if he didn't see me--"nevertheless,
my beloved, I must say it showed great elevation of mind on your part to
trust your future fate to a man, without so much as even a hint about
his arms. But it only shows the beautiful devotion of woman! What have
arms to do with the heart? Wedlock defies all heraldry."

"I thought"--said I--"that, for a lawful marriage, the wedding ring must
have the Hall mark?"

"I don't think it indispensable. I take it, brass would be as binding.
Indeed, my love, I think according to the Council of Nice, or Trent, or
Gretna Green--I forget which--a marriage has been solemnised with
nothing more than a simple curtain-ring."

"Nonsense," said I; "such a marriage could never hold. Curtain-rings are
very well in their way; but give me the real gold."

"True, my love, that's the purity of your woman's nature. In such a
covenant we can't be too real. Any way"--and he took my wedding-finger
between his--"any way, LOTTY, yours seems strong enough to hold, ay,
three husbands."

"One's enough," said I, looking and laughing at him.

"At a time"--said FRED; "but when we're about buying a ring, it's as
well to have an article that will wear. Bless you," and he pressed his
thumb upon my ring, "this will last _me_ out and _another_."--

"FREDERICK," I cried very angrily; and then--I couldn't help it--I
almost began to weep. Whereupon, in his kind, foolish manner he--well, I
_didn't_ cry.

"Let us, my darling," said FRED, after a minute, "let us return to our
arms. And you came in with the Normans?"

"With WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR, papa says, so we _must_ have arms."--

"I remember"-