"That was very nice of you; _bien gentil_, as Mdlle. Augustine says. I wish you knew Mdlle. Augustine, she's a very great friend of Madame's." "I wish I was Mdlle. Augustine. I say, Daisy, doesn't Madame Clarisse want a male hand in the business--something in the light-porter line? I'm sure it would suit me better than that beastly office." "What office, Paul?" "Why, my office, darling; where I go every day. Do you mean to say I didn't tell you about that, Daisy?" "Certainly not; you've told me nothing about yourself." "Well, you see, I've known you so short a time, and seen so little of you. Oh yes, I go to an office." "Do you mean to say you're a clerk?" "Well, yes--not to put too fine a point upon it, I suppose I am." "What! a lawyer's clerk?" "No, no! D--n it all, Daisy, not as bad as that, nothing of the kind. Government office, Civil servant of the Crown, and all that kind of thing, don't you understand? Her Majesty's Stannaries--one of the principal departments of the State." "And do you go there every day, Mr.--I mean, Paul?" "Well, I'm supposed to, my darling; point of fact, I do go there--generally." "Why don't you let me write to you there?" "Write to me there! at the office! My dear child, there are the most stringent rules of the service against it. Any man in the office receiving a letter from a lady at the office would be--would be had up before the House of Commons, and very probably committed to the Tower!" "What a curious thing! I thought you had nothing to do." "Nothing to do! My darling Daisy, no galley-slave who tugs at the what-d'ye-call-em--oar--works harder than I do, as, indeed, Lord Palmerston has often acknowledged." "And you're well paid for it? I mean, you get lots of money?" asked the girl, looking straight up into his face. "Ye-yes, child. Yes, statecraft is tolerably well remunerated. Besides, men in my position have generally something else to live upon, some private means, some allowances from their people." "Their people? Oh, you mean their families. Yes, that must be very nice. Have you any--any people?" "Yes, Daisy, my father and mother are both alive." "They don't live with you in Hanover Street?" "Oh no; they live down in the country, a long way off--down in the West of England." "And they're rich, I suppose?" "Yes, they're very fairly off." "And how many brothers and sisters have you, Paul?" "None, darling; I am the only child; the entire hopes of the family are centred in this charming creature. Have you finished your questions, you inquisitive puss?" "Quite. Did it sound inquisitive? I daresay it did; I daresay my foolish chatter was boring you."