George shook his head wisely. 'Impossible. Friendship means equality of income. You can't live with people unless you do as they do. People of the same means naturally live together. Next door to Lady Dering is another rich Madam, not a clerk's wife. For my own part I shall sell my dress clothes for what they will fetch--you can exchange your evening things for morning things. That won't matter much. Who cares where we live, or how we live, so that we live together? What do you say, Elsie dear?' 'The garret I don't mind--nor the door-steps--and since you see your way out of the difficulty of the frying-pan----' 'You will be of age next week, when you can please yourself.' 'Hilda gives me no peace nor rest. She says that there can be no happiness without money. She has persuaded my mother that I am going to certain starvation. She promises the most splendid establishment if I will only be guided by her.' 'And marry a man fifty years older than yourself with one foot already well in----' 'She says she has always been perfectly happy.--Well, George, you know all that. Next Wednesday, which is my birthday, I am to have a grand talk with my guardian. My mother hopes that he will bring me to my senses. Hilda says that she trusts entirely to Mr. Dering's good sense. I shall arm myself with all my obstinacy. Perhaps, George--who knows?--I may persuade him to advance your salary.' 'No, Elsie. Not even you would persuade Mr. Dering to give a managing clerk more than two hundred pounds a year. But arm yourself with all you have got--don't forget any piece of that armour, child. The breastplate--there was a poor damsel once who forgot that and was caught by an appeal to her heart--nor the helmet--another poor damsel was once caught by an appeal to her reason after forgetting the helmet. The shield, of course, you will not forget--and for weapons, my dear, take your sweet eyes and your lovely face and your winning voice--and I swear that you will subdue even Mr. Dering himself--that hardened old parchment.' This was the kind of talk which these lovers held together whenever they met. George was poor--the son of a clergyman, whose power of advancing him ceased when he had paid the fees for admission. He was only a clerk, and he saw no chance of being anything else but a clerk. Elsie could bring nothing to the family nest, unless her mother made her an allowance. Of this there could be no hope. The engagement was considered deplorable: marriage, under the circumstances, simple madness. And Hilda had done so well for herself, and could do so much for a sister so pretty, so bright as Elsie! Oh! she was throwing away all her chances. Did one ever hear of anything so lamentable? No regard for the family: no ambition: no sense of what a girl owes to herself: no recognition nor gratitude for the gift of good looks--as if beauty was given for the mere purpose of pleasing a penniless lover! And to go and throw herself away upon a twopenny lawyer's clerk!