George Harcourt has many maxims upon the subject of love--One is that a Frenchman thinks most of the methods of love--An Englishman more of the sensations of love--and an Austrian of the emotions of love--. I wonder if this is true? He also says that a woman does not really appreciate a man who reverences her sex in the abstract, and is chivalrous about all women,--she rather thinks him a simpleton--. What she does appreciate is a man who holds cynical views about the female sex in general, and shows reverence and chivalry towards herself in particular! This I feel is probably the truth--! I did not expect to hear anything of Alathea on the Monday, she was not due until Tuesday at eleven o'clock, but when I came in from my sunset on the terrace, I found two telegrams, all the first one said was-- "Extremely sorry will be unable to come to-morrow, brother seriously ill. A. Sharp--." And no address! So I could not send sympathy, or even offer any help--I could have sworn aloud! The storm had wrecked its vengeance on someone, then, and the poor little chap had probably taken cold. If I could only be of some use to them--Perhaps getting the best Doctor is out of their reach. I was full of turmoil while I tore open the other blue paper--this was from Suzette--. "I come this evening at eight." It was nearly seven o'clock now, so I could not put her off--and I am not sure that I wanted to--Suzette is a human being and kindly, and her heart is warm. When Burton was dressing me I told him of Miss Sharp's telegram. "The poor young lady!" he said--. Burton always speaks of her as the "young lady"--he never makes a mistake about class. Suzette for him is "Mam'zell"--and he speaks of her as a mother might about her boy's noisy, tiresome rackety school friends--necessary evils to be put up with for the boy's sake--The fluffies he announces always by their full titles--"Madame la Comtesse"--etc., etc., with a face of stone. Nina and the one or two other Englishwomen he is politely respectful to, but to Miss Sharp he is absolutely reverential--she might be a Queen! "I expect the poor little fellow got wet through yesterday," I hazarded--. "He's that delicate," Burton remarked. So Burton knows something more about the family than I do after all--! "How did you know he was delicate, Burton, or even that Miss Sharp had a brother?" "I don't exactly know, Sir Nicholas--it's come out from one time to another--the young lady don't talk." "How did you guess, then?" "I've seen her anxious when I've brought in her tray--sometimes, and once I ventured to say to her--'I beg pardon Miss, but can I do anything for you,' and she took off her glasses sudden like--and thanked me, and said it was her little brother she was worrying about--and you may believe me or not as you like, Sir Nicholas, but her eyes were full of tears."