"I should have thought there were ties still closer," said Matilda; "you seemed to think so too, once." "Oh, ah! _that_!" he said. (Every frigid word gave him a pang to utter; but it was all for Matilda's sake.) "There's time enough to think of that, my girl; we mustn't be in a hurry." "I'm _not_ in a hurry," said Matilda. "That's the proper way to look at it," said he; "and meanwhile I haven't got a sister I'm fonder of than I am of you." "If you've nothing more to say than that, we had better part," she remarked; and he caught at the suggestion with obvious relief. He had been in an agony of terror, lest, even in the gathering fog, she should detect that they were watched; and then, too, it was better to part with her under a temporary misconception than part with her altogether. "Well," he said, "I mustn't keep you out any longer, with that cold." "You are very ready to get rid of me," said poor Matilda. "The real truth is," he answered, simulating a yawn with a heavy heart; "I am most uncommon sleepy to-night, and all this standing about is too much for me. So good-bye, and take care of yourself!" "I needn't say that to you," she said; "but I won't keep you up a minute longer. I wonder you troubled to come out at all." "Oh," he said, carefully keeping as much in front of the statue as he could, "it's no trouble; but you'll excuse me seeing you to the door this evening?" "Oh, certainly," said Matilda, biting her lip. She touched his hand with the ends of her fingers, and hurried away without turning her head. When she was out of sight, Leander faced round to the irrepressible goddess. He was in a white rage; but terror and caution made him suppress it to some extent. "So here you are again!" he said. "Why did you not wait for me?" she answered. "I remained long for you; you came not, and I followed." "I see you did," said the aggrieved Leander; "I can't say I like being spied upon. If you're a goddess, act as such!" "What! you dare to upbraid me?" she cried. "Beware, or I----" "I know," said Leander, flinching from her. "Don't do that; I only made a remark." "I have the right to follow you; I choose to do so." "If you must, you must," he groaned; "but it does seem hard that I mayn't slip out for a few minutes' talk with my only sister." "You said you were going to run for business, and you told me you had three sisters." "So I have; but only one _youngest_ one." "And why did they not all come to talk with you?" "I suppose because the other two stayed at home," rejoined Leander, sulkily. "I know not why, but I doubt you; that one who came, she is not like you!" "No," said Leander, with a great show of candour, "that's what every one says; all our family are like that; we are like in a way, because we're all of us so different. You can tell us anywhere just by the difference. My father and mother were both very unlike: I suppose we take after them."