n, but said nothing;--thought, perhaps, of his own condition, and
remembered that a man might be murdered without going either to Oregon
or the west of Ireland. 'But we went to Southend, I, and Mrs Pipkin
and the baby, and upon my word I enjoyed it. She was so afraid that
the baby would annoy me, and I thought the baby was so much the best
of it. And then we ate shrimps, and she was so humble. You must
acknowledge that with us nobody would be so humble. Of course I paid.
She has got all her children, and nothing but what she can make out of
these lodgings. People are just as poor with us;--and other people who
happen to be a little better off, pay for them. But nobody is humble
to another, as you are here. Of course we like to have money as well
as you do, but it doesn't make so much difference.'

'He who wants to receive, all the world over, will make himself as
agreeable as he can to him who can give.'

'But Mrs Pipkin was so humble. However, we got back all right
yesterday evening, and then I found that you had been here,--at last.'

'You knew that I had to go to Liverpool.'

'I'm not going to scold. Did you get your business done at Liverpool?'

'Yes;--one generally gets something done, but never anything very
satisfactorily. Of course it's about this railway.'

'I should have thought that that was satisfactory. Everybody talks of
it as being the greatest thing ever invented. I wish I was a man that
I might be concerned with a really great thing like that. I hate
little peddling things. I should like to manage the greatest bank in
the world, or to be Captain of the biggest fleet, or to make the
largest railway. It would be better even than being President of a
Republic, because one would have more of one's own way. What is it
that you do in it, Paul?'

'They want me now to go out to Mexico about it,' said he slowly.

'Shall you go?' said she, throwing herself forward and asking the
question with manifest anxiety.

'I think not.'

'Why not? Do go. Oh, Paul, I would go with you. Why should you not go?
It is just the thing for such a one as you to do. The railway will
make Mexico a new country, and then you would be the man who had done
it. Why should you throw away such a chance as that? It will never
come again. Emperors and kings have tried their hands at Mexico and
have been able to do nothing. Emperors and kings never can do
anything. Think what it would be to be the regenerator of Mexico!'

'Think wh