"Silence, foolish boy!" she cried, menacing him again with the scissors, and holding up her flower-basket as if to catch the snipped-off head. "I tell you I am too old in a worldly way, When a matter-of-fact woman reaches my years, and knows that she has gradually been lessening her capital in the bank of life, she tries to get as much as possible in the way of enjoyment out of what is left." "Exactly," he cried eagerly. "She takes matters coolly and weighs them fairly before her. `If,' she says, `I take the contents of this scale I shall get so much pleasure. If I choose the contents of this other scale, I shall again obtain so much.'" "Well, what then?" said Litton, for her ladyship paused in the act of decapitating a magnificent Japan lily. "What then? Foolish boy! Why, of course she chooses the scale that will give her most pleasure." "Naturally," he said. "Then that is what I do." "But would not life with a man who would idolise you be far beyond any other worldly pleasure?" "Yes," said her ladyship drily; "but give me credit, _mio caro_ Arturo, for not being such an old idiot as to believe that you would idolise me, as you call it." "Ah, you don't know," he cried. "What you would be guilty of to obtain a good settlement in life, my dear boy?" "You insult me," he cried angrily. "Oh no, my impetuous young friend; but really, Arturo, that was well done. Capital! It would be winning with some ladies. Rest assured that you shall have a rich wife. As for me, I have had you in the scale twice over. I did once think of marrying you." "You did?" he cried with real surprise. "To be sure I did," she said quietly. "Why not? I said to myself, `I am careless of the opinion of the world, and shall do as I please;' and I pictured out my home with you, a _distingue_ man, at the head." "You did?" he said excitedly. "Of course I did. And then I pictured it as it is, with Lady Littletown, a power in her way, a well-known character in society, whose word has its influence, and one who can sway the destinies of many, in many ways, in the world." "No; say in one," he exclaimed rather bitterly--"in the matrimonial world." "As you will, _cher_ Arthur," replied her ladyship. "You see, I am frank with you. I weighed it all carefully, as I said, and weighed it once again, to be sure that I was making no mistake, and the result was dead against change." "Highly complimentary to me!" "A very excellent thing for you, my dear boy; for you would have led a wretched life." "Assuming that your ladyship's charms had conquered my youthful, ardent heart?" he said. "Silly boy! you are trying to be sarcastic," said Lady Littletown. "Pish! I am too thick-skinned to mind it in the least. Be reasonable and listen, dear brother-in-arms." "Why not lover-in-arms?" he cried quickly--"in those arms." Lady Littletown placed her scissors in the hand that held the basket, raised her square gold eyeglass, and looked at her visitor.