'Let her prosecute. If her wrath were deadly, I would risk it. You know what Romeo says-- "Wert thou as far As that vast shore washed with the farthest sea, I would adventure for such merchandize" And shall I be afraid of Miss Pew, when the path to my paradise lies so near?' 'Please don't talk such nonsense,' pleaded Ida; 'Fräulein will think you a very absurd person.' But Miss Wolf protested that she would think nothing of the sort. Sentiment of that kind was her idea of common sense. 'I am established at Penton Hook,' said Brian. 'I live on the water, and my only thought in life is to be near you. I shall know every stump of willow--every bulrush before I am a month older.' 'But surely you are not going to stay at Penton Hook for a month!' exclaimed Ida, 'buried alive in that little lock-house?' 'I shall have my daily resurrection when I see you.' 'But you cannot imagine that I shall walk upon this path every afternoon, in order that you may land and talk nonsense?' protested Ida. 'I only imagine that this path is your daily walk, and that you would not be so heartless as to change your habits in order to deprive me of the sunshine of your presence,' replied Brian, gazing at her tenderly, as if Miss Wolf counted for nothing, and they two were standing alone among the reeds and willows. 'You will simply make this walk impossible for me. It is quite out of the question that I should come here again so long as you are likely to be lying in wait for me. Is it not so, Fräulein? You know Miss Pew's way of thinking, and how she would regard such conduct.' Fräulein shook her head dolefully, and admitted that in Miss Pew's social code such a derogation from maiden dignity would be, in a manner, death--an offence beyond all hope of pardon. 'Hang Miss Pew!' exclaimed Brian. 'If Miss Pew were Minerva, with all the weight and influence of her father, the Thunderer, to back her up, I would defy her. Confess now, dear Fräulein--liebste Fräulein'--how tender his accents sounded in German!--'_you_ do not think it wrong for me to see the lady of my love for a few all-too-happy moments once a day?' The Fräulein declared that it was the most natural thing in the world for them thus to meet, and that she for her part would be enchanted to play propriety, and to be her dearest Ida's companion on all such occasions, nor would thumbscrew or rack extort from her the secret of their loves. 'Nonsense!' exclaimed Ida, 'in future I shall always walk in the kitchen garden; the walls are ten feet high, and unless you had a horse that could fly, like Perseus, you would never be able to get at me.' 'I will get a flying horse,' answered Brian. 'Don't defy me. Remember there are things that have been heard of before now in love-stories, called ladders.'