"That is so kind and gallant a speech, that it ought not to be lost on the person most concerned. Eve, my love, our worthy friend has just made a declaration which will be a novelty to you, who have not been much in the way of listening to speeches of this nature." Mr. Effingham then acquainted his daughter with what Captain Truck had just said. "This is certainly the first declaration of the sort I ever heard, and with the simplicity of an unpractised young woman, I here avow that the attachment is reciprocal," said the smiling Eve. "If there is an indiscretion in this hasty acknowledgement, it must be ascribed to surprise, and to the suddenness with which I have learned my power, for your _parvenues_ are not always perfectly regulated." "I hope Mamselle V.A.V. is well," returned the Captain, cordially shaking the hand the young lady had given him, "and that she enjoys herself to her liking in this outlandish country?" "Mademoiselle Viefville will return you her thanks in person, at dinner; and I believe she does not yet regret _la belle France_ unreasonably; as I regret it myself, in many particulars, it would be unjust not to permit a native of the country some liberty in that way." "I perceive a strange face in the room--one of the family, my dear young lady?" "Not a relative, but a very old friend.--Shall I have the pleasure of introducing you, Captain?" "I hardly dared to ask it, for I know you must have been overworked in this way, lately, but I confess I _should_ like an introduction; I have neither introduced, nor been introduced since I left New-York, with the exception of the case of Captain Ducie, whom I made properly acquainted with Mrs. Hawker and her party as you may suppose. They know each other regularly now, and you are saved the trouble of going through the ceremony yourself." "And how is it with you and the Bloomfields? Did Mrs. Hawker name you to them properly?" "That is the most extraordinary thing of the sort I ever knew! Not a word was said in the way of introduction, and yet I slid into an acquaintance with Mrs. Bloomfield so easily, that I could not tell how it was done, if my life depended on it. But this very old friend of yours, my dear young lady----" "Captain Truck, Mr. Howel; Mr. Howel, Captain Truck;" said Eve, imitating the most approved manner of the introductory spirit of the day with admirable self-possession and gravity. "I am fortunate in having it in my power to make two persons whom I so much esteem acquainted." "Captain Truck is the gentleman who commands the Montauk?" said Mr. Howel, glancing at Eve, as much as to say, "am I right?" "The very same, and the brave seaman to whom we are all indebted for the happiness of standing here at this moment." "You are to be envied, Captain Truck; of all the men in your calling, you are exactly the one I should most wish to supplant. I understand you actually go to England twice every year!"