"Impossible," says the professor. "A--lover--cannot be a guardian!" His voice has sunk to a whisper. He turns away, and makes a step towards the door. "You are going," cries she, fighting with a desperate desire for tears, that is still strongly allied to anger. "You would leave me. You will be no longer my guardian. Ah! was I not right? Did I not _tell_ you you were in a hurry to get rid of me?" This most unfair accusation rouses the professor to extreme wrath. He turns round and faces her like an enraged lion. "You are a child," says he, in a tone sufficient to make any woman resentful. "It is folly to argue with you." "A child! What are you then?" cries she tremulously. "A _fool!"_ furiously. "I was given my cue, I would not take it. You told me that it was bad enough to be your ward, that you would not on any account be closer to me. _That_ should have been clear to me, yet, like an idiot, I hoped against hope. I took false courage from each smile of yours, each glance, each word. There! Once I leave you now, the chain between us will be broken, we shall never, with _my_ will, meet again. You say you have had suitors since you came down here. You hinted to me that you could mention the name of him you wished to marry. So be it. Mention it to Gwendoline--to any one you like, but not to me." He strides towards the doorway. He has almost turned the corner. "Thaddeus!" cries a small, but frantic voice. If dying he would hear that and turn. She is holding out her hands to him, the tears are running down her lovely cheeks. "It is to you--to _you_ I would tell his name," sobs she, as he returns slowly, unwillingly, but _surely,_ to her. "To you alone." "To me! Go on," says Curzon; "let me hear it. What is the name of this man you want to marry?" "Thaddeus Curzon!" says she, covering her face with her hands, and, indeed, it is only when she feels his arms round her, and his heart beating against hers, that she so far recovers herself as to be able to add, "And a _hideous_ name it is, too!" But this last little firework does no harm. Curzon is too ecstatically happy to take notice of her small impertinence. THE END. Obvious typographical errors silently corrected by the transcriber: chapter 1: =leaving them all _planté la_ as it were,= silently corrected as =leaving them all _planté là_ as it were,= chapter 2: ='From grave to gay,= silently corrected as ="From grave to gay,= chapter 5: =don't you think she would let you take me to the theatre some night? She has come nearer,= silently corrected as =don't you think she would let you take me to the theatre some night?" She has come nearer,= chapter 6: =She asked me to sit down--I obeyed her.= silently corrected as =She asked me to sit down--I obeyed her."= chapter 6:_ ="Won't she!"= _silently corrected as_ =Won't she!=_