"The early to bed man, you mean," cried Mrs. Belswin. "Horrible! I never could see the use of his cut-and-dried little proverbs." "His poems, madam, are very edifying," remarked Gelthrip, in a clerical manner. "Very probably; and like most things edifying, very dreary." She said this so tartly that Clendon _père_ was afraid of the probable rejoinder of his curate, so made the first remark that came into his mind apropos of nothing in particular. "Our conversation is like that of Praed's vicar, very discursive; we began with the Romans, we end with Dr. Watts." "I prefer the Romans," declared Archie, sipping his wine. "Not their dining, surely," observed Kaituna. "No," whispered Archie, literally _sub rosa_, for she wore a half-opened bud in her dark hair, "because you would not have been present. The nineteenth century, with all its faults, has one great virtue; it allows us to dine with you." Kaituna laughed in a pretty confused manner, whereupon Mrs. Belswin flashed her glorious dark eyes sympathetically on the pair, for she was now quite in favour of this, to all appearances, imprudent marriage. Reasons two. First, the young couple loved one another devotedly, which appealed to her womanly and maternal instincts. Second, the match would be objected to by Sir Rupert, which pleased the revengeful part of her nature. With these two excellent reasons she was very satisfied, so smiled kindly on the lovers. "Burgundy, sir?" "Thank you, Mrs. Belswin." That lady bowed cordially to her host and touched the rim of her glass lightly with her lips. It is not now customary for gentlemen to drink healths with the opposite sex at dinner, but 'tis an old-fashioned custom, and therefore found favour with the vicar, lover of all things antique, as he was. "Drink to me only with thine eyes." "A most excellent sentiment, Tobias," said his father, with a waggish smile; "but we are not all so happily placed as you, my son." "Every dog has its day, father." "True! true! most true. 'Et ego in Arcadia fui.' Eh, Mr. Gelthrip?" "I am not married, sir," responded that gentleman, stiffly. "Nor is he likely to be," whispered Archie to his neighbour. "How lucky--for the possible Mrs. Gelthrip." "I'm not so sure of that," she replied in the same tone; "every Jack has his Jill." "Even I?" "Yes, I suppose so." "Oh! you are not certain?" "How can I be certain? You do not wear your heart on your sleeve." "Do I not?" Kaituna was somewhat taken aback at this direct way of putting it, and, not feeling inclined to reply in the only way in which she could do so, looked round for a mode of escape from the pertinacity of her companion. Help came from the vicar. "Miss Pethram, I understand your father is coming home again." "Yes, Mr. Clendon; I am pleased to say he is." "Ah, no doubt! no doubt! Well, I can tell him you have been in safe hands," responded the vicar, bowing to Mrs. Belswin, who acknowledged the compliment with a somewhat doubtful smile.