"There's much enjoyment in that, to be sure! I've no doubt now you could listen to Miss Prettyman--oh, I don't care, I will speak. It was a little more than odd, I think, that she should be on the jetty when the boat came in. Ha! she'd been looking for you all the morning with a telescope, I've no doubt--she's bold enough for anything. And then how she sneered and giggled when she saw me,--and said 'how fat I'd got:' like her impudence, I think. What? "WELL SHE MIGHT? "But I know what she wanted; yes--she'd have liked to have had me searched. She laughed on purpose. "I only wish I'd taken two of the dear girls with me. What things I could have stitched about 'em! No--I'm not ashamed of myself to make my innocent children smugglers: the more innocent they looked, the better; but there you are with what you call your principles again; as if it wasn't given to everybody by nature to smuggle. I'm sure of it--it's born with us. And nicely I've cheated 'em this day. Lace, and velvet, and silk stockings, and other things,--to say nothing of the tumblers and decanters. No: I didn't look as if I wanted a direction, for fear somebody should break me. That's another of what you call your jokes; but you should keep 'em for those who like 'em. I don't. "WHAT HAVE I MADE, AFTER ALL? "I've told you--you shall never, never know. Yes, I know you'd been fined a hundred pounds if they'd searched me; but I never meant that they should. I daresay you wouldn't smuggle--oh no! you don't think it worth your while. You're quite a conjuror, you are, Caudle. Ha! ha! ha! "WHAT AM I LAUGHING AT? "Oh, you little know--such a clever creature! Ha! ha! Well, now, I'll tell you. I knew what an unaccommodating animal you were, so I made you smuggle whether or not. "HOW? "Why, when you were out at the Cafe, I got your great rough coat, and if I didn't stitch ten yards of best black velvet under the lining I'm a sinful woman! And to see how innocent you looked when the officers walked round and round you! It was a happy moment, Caudle, to see you. "What do you call it? "A SHAMEFUL TRICK--UNWORTHY OF A WIFE? I COULDN'T CARE MUCH FOR YOU? "As if I didn't prove that by trusting you with ten yards of velvet. But I don't care what you say: I've saved everything--all but that beautiful English novel, that I've forgot the name of. And if they didn't take it out of my hand, and chopped it to bits like so much dog's-meat. "SERVED ME RIGHT? "And when I so seldom buy a book! No: I don't see how it served me right. If you can buy the same book in France for four shillings that people here have the impudence to ask more than a guinea for-- well, if they DO steal it, that's their affair, not ours. As if there was anything in a book to steal! "And now, Caudle, when are you going home? What? "OUR TIME ISN'T UP?