The place contained two desolate camellias, with leaves in the same proportion as those on trees in the earlier ages of illumination, and one scraggy, leafless geranium, besides a green and stagnant tank, where a goldfish moved about, flapping and gasping, as the boy disturbed it in his search for the crayfish. He absorbed all the conversation, so that Julius could only look back into the room, where an attempt at artistic effect was still dimly visible through accumulated litter. The Venus of Milo stood on a bracket, with a riding-whip in her arms, and a bundle of working society tickets behind her, and her vis-a-vis, the Faun of Praxiteles, was capped by a glove with one finger pointing upwards, and had a ball of worsted tangled about his legs; but further observation was hindered by the man-servant's voice at the outer door, "Master Ducky, where are you? Your ma says you are to go to bed directly." "No, no, I'll put myself to bed!" "Come, sir, please do, like a good boy--Master Pinney won't go without you, and I must put him to bed while they are dishing up. Come, sir, I've got a mince-pie for you." "And some oysters--Bobby said I should have some oysters!" "Yes, yes; come along, sir." And Master Ducky submitted to his fate, while Julius looked his wonder, and asked, "Is he nursery-maid?" "Just now, since the bonne went," said Lenore. "He is a most faithful, attached servant, who will do anything for them. _She_ does attach people deeply when the first shock is over." "I am coming to believe so," he answered. "There seem to me to be excellent elements." "I am so glad!" said Lenore; "she is so thorough, so true and frank; and much of this oddness is really an inconsistent struggle to keep out of debt." "Well! at any rate I am thankful to her for this opportunity of seeing you," said Julius. "We have both been longing to speak our welcome to you." "Thank you. It is so kind," she fervently whispered; "all the kinder for the state of things that is insisted on--though you know that it can make no real difference," she added, apparently addressing the goldfish. "Frank knows it," said Julius, in a low voice. "I trust he does, though I cannot see him to assure him--you will?" she added, looking up at him with a shy brightness in her eye and a flush on her cheek. "Yes, indeed!" he said, laying his hand on hers for a moment. "I fear you may both have much to pull through, but I think you are of a steadfast nature." "I hope so--I think I am, for none of my feelings seem to me ever to change, except that I get harder, and, I am afraid, bitterer." "I can understand your feeling that form of trial." "Oh, if you could, and would help me!" "As a brother; if I may."