“Of course that was only to avoid the fuss there would have been if it had been known that she had been here without coming to Kencroft. By the bye, I didn’t tell Brock those good people were coming to dinner. How well the dear old Monk looks, and how charming Essie and Ellie! But I shall never know them apart, now they are both the same size.” “You won’t feel that difficulty long,” said Bobus. “There really is no comparison between them.” “Just the insipid English Mees,” said Elvira. “You should hear what the French think of the ordinary English girl!” “So much the better,” said Bobus. “No respectable English girl would wish for a foreigner’s insulting admiration.” “Well done, Bobus! I never heard such an old-fashioned insular sentiment from you. One would think it was your namesake. By the bye, where is the great Rob?” “At Aldershot,” said Jock. “I assure you he improves as he grows older. I had him to dine the other day at our mess, and he cut a capital figure by judiciously holding his tongue and looking such a fine fellow, that people were struck with him.” “There,” said Armine, slyly, “he has the seal of the Guards’ approval.” Jock could afford to laugh at himself, for he was entirely devoid of conceit, but he added, good humouredly-- “Well, youngster, I can tell you it goes for something. I wasn’t at all sure whether the ass mightn’t get his head out of the lion-skin.” “Oh, yes! they are all lions and no asses in the Guards,” said Babie; whereupon Jock fell on her, and they had a playful skirmish.