"Nonsense--Lelys: the pictures, Court beauties. I could only stand and gaze at them." "Young buck--at gaze," said the other, smiling at the boy's enthusiasm. "What was the fair one like?" "Oh, sweet and Madonnaesque--pensive and gentle. Look here, Marcus, you and I will have a walk round there presently." "Not if my name's Marcus," said the other, laughing. "Go along, you silly young butterfly, scenting honey in every flower. I say, Dick, shall you go in full review order?" "I wish you weren't so fond of chaffing a fellow." "Did the maidens--old, or young, or doubtful--at the window see our handsome young Adonis with his clustering curls?" "Hang me if I ever tell you anything again!" cried the lad pettishly. "Where do you keep your matches? You are always chaffing." "Not I," said the other, turning himself lazily in his chair, "only I want to see you grow into a matter-of-fact man." "Is it a sign of manhood to grow into a Diogenes sort of fellow, who sneers at every woman he sees?" said the lad hotly. "No, Dick, but it's a sign of hobble-de-hoyishness to be falling in love with pretty housemaids and boarding-school girls." "Which I don't do," said the lad fiercely. "Except when you are forming desperate attachments to well-developed ladies, who, after your stupid young heart has been pretty well frizzled in the imaginary fire cast by their eyes, turn out to be other men's wives." "I declare you are unbearable, Glen," cried the lad hotly. "My dear Dick, you are the most refreshing little chap I ever knew," said the other, rising. "There, put on your cap, my boy, and let's go;" and leaving the direction of their course to his younger companion, Captain Glen found himself at last on the broad walk facing the old red-brick Palace. "I wonder you have never seen it before." "So do I; but I never did. Well, old Dutch William had a very good idea of taking care of himself, that's all I can say." "But come along here; some of the interior is very curious, especially the quadrangles." "So I should suppose," said Glen drily. "But I have a fancy for examining some of these quaint old parterres and carven trees, so we'll turn down here." Richard Millet's countenance twitched, but he said nothing; and together they strolled about the grounds, the elder pointing out the pretty effects to be seen here and there, the younger seeing nothing but the faces of three ladies standing at a window, and longing to be back in that cloister-like square to gaze upon them again. "This place will be dull," said Glen, as he seated himself upon a bench at the edge of a long spread of velvet turf; "but better than dingy Hounslow, and I've come to the conclusion that we might be much worse off. The society may turn out pretty decent, after all. This old garden will be splendid for a stroll. And--look there, Dick, the inhabitant of the land is fair. Here is another chance for you to fall in love."