“I declare not only that I have never seen, but never so much as suspected it. And have _you_ seen it, Mrs. Morris?” “Ah! Sir William, this is our woman's privilege, though really in the present case it did not put the faculty to any severe test.” For a moment or two he made no reply, and then said, “And Charles--has Charles remarked it?” “I really cannot tell you. His manner is usually so easy and indifferent about everything, that, whether it comes of not seeing or never caring, I cannot pretend to guess.” “I asked the young man here, because he was with Lord Agincourt,” began Sir William, who was most eager to offer some apologies to himself for any supposed indiscretion. “Agincourt's guardian, Lord Sommerville, and myself have had some unpleasant passages in life, and I wished to show the boy that towards _him_ I bore no memory of the ills I received from his uncle. In fact, I was doubly civil and attentive on that account; but as for Mr. Layton,--isn't that his name?” “Yes; Alfred Layton.” “Layton came as the lad's tutor,--nothing more. He appeared a pleasing, inoffensive, well-bred young fellow. But surely, Mrs. Morris, my ward has given him no encouragement?” “Encouragement is a strong word, Sir William,” said she, smiling archly; “I believe it is only widows who give encouragement?” “Well, well,” said he, hurriedly, and not caring to smile, for he was in no jesting mood, “has she appeared to understand his attentions?” “Even young ladies make no mistakes on that score,” said she, in the same bantering tone. “And I never to see it!” exclaimed he, as he walked hurriedly to and fro. “But I ought to have seen it, eh, Mrs. Morris?--I ought to have seen it. I ought, at least, to have suspected that these fellows are always on the lookout for such a chance as this. Now I suppose you 'll laugh at me for the confession, but my attention was entirely engaged by watching our Irish friend.” “The great O'Shea!” exclaimed Mrs. Morris, laughing. “And to tell you the truth, I never could exactly satisfy myself whether he came here to ogle my ward, or win Charley's half-crowns at billiards.” “I imagine, if you asked him, he 'd say he was in for the 'double event,'” said she, with a laugh. “And, then, Mrs. Morris,” added he, with a sly smile, “if I must be candid, I fancied, or thought I fancied, his attentions had another object.” “Towards me!” said she, calmly, but in an accent as honest, as frank, and as free from all concern as though speaking of a third person. “Oh, that is quite true. Mr. Layton also made his little quiet love to me as college men do it, and I accepted the homage of both, feeling that I was a sort of lightning-conductor that might rescue the rest of the building.”