“Oh, that famous appointment we have heard so much of has come at last,” said Edward. “The ---- regiment are to have the benefit of my learned services, and they are lying at some heathenish place not far from Hew’s head-quarters. The name I have learned to write after a day’s practice--but the pronunciation--come now, Walter, be merciful--don’t make me desperate by forcing these dislocated syllables over my lips--at least not in Miss Johnstone’s presence.” “Oh, never mind Miss Johnstone--Lilie is not such an epicure in sounds,” said Walter. “Come along, Mixy. After all, man, I believe you don’t know the true secret so well as I do. A professed lady’s man should never be ladylike himself. What do you say, Mossgray? Do you hear me, Charlie--am I not right?” Mixy was our familiar contraction of Edward’s respectable surname--we were rather proud of our ingenuity in manufacturing a diminutive which suited name and profession alike so well; and he took it with wonderful good humour. To-night however he seemed displeased a little. I did not wonder; for who could endure to be exposed to ridicule in the presence of Lilias? “You’re right in the abstract, Wat,” answered Charlie, with perfect coolness: “but wrong in this particular instance. To think of giving counsel to Mixy in such matters--why, Mixy’s irresistible!” Edward coloured and laughed. “There now, Charlie, that will do. Don’t believe them, I beg, Miss Johnstone; it’s mere malice, I assure you.” “Take care, Lilie,” said Walter, “he wants to put you off your guard. Ask Mossgray, if you don’t believe me.” I coloured more deeply than Edward--this was carrying the joke too far--that Lilias, in her unapproachable purity and loftiness, should be so addressed was a kind of sacrilege. I started in jealous eagerness to save her name from the careless _badinage_ which was profanity to me. “All this has nothing to do with Hew Murray,” I said hastily, and I felt my cheek burn as I turned away from Charlie. “Are you to be in Bombay, Edward?--are you to be near Hew?” “Yes, Bombay is my first destination,” said Edward. “I shall seek him out of course--and I suppose I must go in a month or two, so you may prepare your remembrances, Adam.” “And will you be long away, Mr Maxwell?” said Lilias, softly. I bent forward at the sound of her voice. I always did--but this night, for the first time, I felt myself grow hot and angry when I saw Edward’s head also inclined towards the speaker, and his face brighten to answer her. “Many years, I fear, Miss Johnstone--many sad years--if I ever do see Fendie again.” I thought the low fall of his voice was affectation. Then I repented me--I was exquisitely uncomfortable; doing them all injustice except herself and Charlie--my pure and beautiful star whom no imperfection could cast a shadow on, and the untrue, detected man whom I had called my friend. To these, in their extremes of honour and humiliation, I could not fail to do perfect justice.