The other drawback was still more serious. Either by maintaining the dog, I placed his owner under an obligation; or by engrossing the dog’s society, I laid myself under obligation to his owner. Either view of the case was unpleasant; the latter, which I adopted, soon became intolerable. So I spoke about it to Isola, for I could not well explain myself to her brother, who ought indeed to have perceived my dilemma. "Oh Donna," she cried, "what nonsense you do talk! Obliged to us indeed! I am sure we are all greatly obliged to you; and many a stir it saves us at home, for the dog detests papa so; and when Conrad comes to see us, he can’t bear to have Judy shut out like a thief, and he the most honourable dog that ever wagged a tail." "To be sure he is. You know you are, don’t you, oh combination of Bayard and Aristides?" That union of justice and chivalry wagged his tail to me, and nodded gravely to Isola. "But I have said all along that Conny should pay for his board, and he feels it too: but we could not tell how to propose it to you, dear Donna, you are so very outrageous." "I should hope so indeed." "And then I am sure it would break poor Judy’s heart to go. Wouldn’t it now, Judy?" Giudice did not answer her, but came and laid his great head on my lap, and looked up at me as only a dog can look. In that wistful look he said as plainly as possible-- "You know I am only a dog. But you, Clara, happen to be a human being; and so you know all we dogs know, and ever so much besides. Only you can’t smell. You can talk, as fast as you like, both to each other and to us, but we can talk to none except our fellow dogs. Now don’t take a mean advantage of me. I know that I was made only to be your servant, and I love you with all my heart, that I do. I can’t tell at all where I shall go when I die, or if I shall go anywhere; and I am sure I shall die, if you cast me away like this." So I kissed his dotty whiskers, and promised not to desert him, though I should go all the way to the stables twice a day to see him. "And another thing, Clara dear," resumed his master’s sister, "I consider him now more my dog than Conny’s. You know he was given between us"--this was the first time I heard of it--"and I only lent Conrad my half as long as he liked to pay for him." Lovely Isola, like most other lovely girls, was keen about money-matters. Not that she was ungenerous. That impulsive little mortal would give away all her substance, the moment her heart was touched, and it was not hard to touch, despite all the quick suspicions which her London life and native shrewdness had now begun to produce. But as regards small dealings, she was thoroughly qualified to keep a meat-pie shop, or go upon board wages, or even to take furnished lodging: by which climax I mean no disrespect to Mrs. Shelfer, who (considering her temptations) is the very pink of honesty, especially since Giudice can.