Arnold’s head began to whirl. “Would you advise me to get married, Sir?” he said, piteously. “That’s what I meant.” “Oh! That’s the object of the present interview, is it? Would I advise you to marry, eh?” (Having caught the mouse by this time, the cat lifted his paw and let the luckless little creature breathe again. Sir Patrick’s manner suddenly freed itself from any slight signs of impatience which it might have hitherto shown, and became as pleasantly easy and confidential as a manner could be. He touched the knob of his cane, and helped himself, with infinite zest and enjoyment, to a pinch of snuff.) “Would I advise you to marry?” repeated Sir Patrick. “Two courses are open to us, Mr. Arnold, in treating that question. We may put it briefly, or we may put it at great length. I am for putting it briefly. What do you say?” “What you say, Sir Patrick.” “Very good. May I begin by making an inquiry relating to your past life?” “Certainly!” “Very good again. When you were in the merchant service, did you ever have any experience in buying provisions ashore?” Arnold stared. If any relation existed between that question and the subject in hand it was an impenetrable relation to _him_. He answered, in unconcealed bewilderment, “Plenty of experience, Sir.” “I’m coming to the point,” pursued Sir Patrick. “Don’t be astonished. I’m coming to the point. What did you think of your moist sugar when you bought it at the grocer’s?” “Think?” repeated Arnold. “Why, I thought it was moist sugar, to be sure!” “Marry, by all means!” cried Sir Patrick. “You are one of the few men who can try that experiment with a fair chance of success.” The suddenness of the answer fairly took away Arnold’s breath. There was something perfectly electric in the brevity of his venerable friend. He stared harder than ever. “Don’t you understand me?” asked Sir Patrick. “I don’t understand what the moist sugar has got to do with it, Sir.” “You don’t see that?” “Not a bit!” “Then I’ll show you,” said Sir Patrick, crossing his legs, and setting in comfortably for a good talk “You go to the tea-shop, and get your moist sugar. You take it on the understanding that it is moist sugar. But it isn’t any thing of the sort. It’s a compound of adulterations made up to look like sugar. You shut your eyes to that awkward fact, and swallow your adulterated mess in various articles of food; and you and your sugar get on together in that way as well as you can. Do you follow me, so far?” Yes. Arnold (quite in the dark) followed, so far.