"Why, of course not," replied the boy quickly; "I'll tell you in a moment if there's anything I want or--or if there's anything troubling me. I'm glad you're going away from Paris, because I've got just a little tired of it." "We'll be off to-morrow," said Miss Carlaw, with decision. "Now, just to please me, forget for an hour or two that I exist at all; off with you where you will, and don't get into mischief. In fact, I'll give you the day to yourself, and if you come near me at all I shall be very angry. I can contrive to amuse myself alone for once. Here's money for you; lunch well, dine well, do what you like. Off with you; I don't want to hear your voice till nightfall." Comethup somewhat reluctantly set off into the city. But it was a fine day, and the brightness of everything about him--the moving people, the life and animation of the city--all had their effect upon him. He was quite glad to be alone for once; he seated himself on a bench in some gardens in the sunshine and folded his arms and sat looking out at the world before him through half-closed eyelids and with a smile about his mouth, for he was very young, and the world seemed very fair. He began to dream lazily about his old friends: wondered what the captain was doing at that hour, and almost pictured him strolling across the sandy wastes with 'Linda by his side. He was glad to think of 'Linda; glad to remember her as he had seen her last, a pretty girlish figure, at the gate of the captain's garden. With all the bustle and noise of Paris about him, with strange tongues chattering and strange figures moving past him, he seemed to see, in a vision, the old place of his childhood in another atmosphere and another light; held it, as it were, in a sacred and secret place in his remembrance--a thing apart. One of the figures that flitted vaguely before him stopped and appeared to draw back a pace and then to advance. Comethup opened his eyes fully and stared up at the figure. A familiar voice greeted him. "My dear, dear nephew! How I have longed and hoped to see you! What has my cry been these past days, since I learned that you were in Paris? 'Comethup,' and yet again 'Comethup.--Show me Comethup,' I said, 'and let me look into his eyes, and I am a happy man!' And now my wish is granted; more than all, I find you alone. My dear boy!" He grasped Comethup fervently by the hand and sank upon the bench beside him. "I heard you were in Paris," said Comethup; "Brian told me." "Ah, that misguided boy! But still I love him. Who could help loving him? We have had our differences; we have even used harsh words to each other. But all that, I trust, is forgotten and forgiven. When I heard that he was coming to Paris, and coming, above all things, to see you, I said at once that I would go with him; my place was by his side, and, as I have told you, I longed to see my nephew. Boy"--he looked with affectionate sternness at Comethup--"you're not looking well."