"Yes, I'm afraid he is." "Afraid? Oh, come now, don't be prejudiced. I want you to like Victor." "That would be impossible." "Impossible! What, the man who will most likely be Louie's husband?" "Mr Pradelle will never be Louie's husband." "What! Why, how do you know?" "Because I know your sister's heart too well." "And you don't like Pradelle?" "No, Harry; and I'm sorry you ever chose him for a companion." "Oh, come, dear, that's prejudice and a bit of jealousy. Well, never mind about that now. I want to talk about ourselves." "Yes, Harry." "I want you to promise to be my little wife. I'm four-and-twenty, and you are nearly twenty, so it's quite time to talk about it." Madelaine shook her head. "Oh, come!" he said merrily, "no girl's coyness: we are too old friends for that, and understand one another too well. Come, dear, when is it to be?" She turned and looked in the handsome flushed face beside her, and then said in the most cool and matter-of-fact way: "It is too soon to talk like that, Harry." "Too soon? Not a bit of it. You have told me that you will be my wife." "Some day, perhaps." "Oh, nonsense, dear! I've been thinking this all over well. You see, Maddy, you've let my not sticking to business trouble you." "Yes, Harry, very much." "Well, I'm very sorry, clear; and I suppose I have been a bit to blame, but I've been doing distasteful work, and I've been like a boat swinging about without an anchor. I want you to be my anchor to hold me fast. I've wanted something to steady me--something to work for; and if I've got you for a wife I shall be a different man directly." Madelaine sighed. "Aunt Marguerite won't like it, because she is not very fond of you." "No," said Madelaine, "she does not like fat Dutch frauleins--Dutch dolls." "Get out! What stuff! She's a prejudiced old woman full of fads. She never did like you." "Never, Harry." "Well, that doesn't matter a bit." "No. That does not matter a bit." "You see I've had no end of thinks about all this, and it seems to me that if we're married at once, it will settle all the worries and bothers I've had lately. The governor wants me to go to business again: but what's the use of that? He's rich, and so is your father, and they can easily supply us with all that we should want, and then we shall be as happy as can be. Of course I shall work at something. I don't believe in a fellow with nothing to do. You don't either?" "No, Harry." "Of course not, but all that toiling and moiling for the sake of money is a mistake. Never mind what Aunt Marguerite says. I'll soon work her round, and of course I can do what I like with the governor. He's so fond of you that he'll be delighted, and he knows it will do me good. So now there's nothing to do but for me to go and see your father and ask his consent. I did think of letting you coax him round: but that would be cowardly, wouldn't it?"