'Harkee, sirrah! if you impose upon me, I'll trounce you within an inch of your life! Juliet, do you say? Are you sure it's Juliet?' 'Oui, Monsieur; Mademoiselle Juliette.' 'Why then, as I am a living man, and on this side t'other world, I must speak to her directly! Tell her so this instant.' Ambroise tapped, and Juliet opened the door; but, when he would have spoken, the Admiral, taking him by the shoulders, and turning him round, bid him go about his business; and, entering the room, shut the door, and flung himself upon a chair. Rising, however, almost at the same instant, though much agitated, he made sundry bows, but tried vainly to speak; while the astonished Juliet waited gravely for some explanation of so strange an intrusion. 'Madam,' he at length said, 'that Frenchman there,--who, it's like enough, don't know what he says,--pretends your name is Juliet?' 'Sir!'-- 'If it be so, Ma'am,--you'll do me a remarkable piece of service, if you will be so complaisant as to let me know how you came by that name?' Juliet now felt alarmed. 'It's rather making free, Ma'am, I confess, but I shall take it as a special favour, if you'll be pleased to tell me what part of the world you come from?' 'Sir, I--I--' 'If you think my inquisitiveness impertinent, Ma'am; which it's like enough you may, I shall beg leave to give you an item of my reason for it; and then it's odds but you'll make less scruple to give me the reply. Not that I mean to make conditions; for binding people down only hampers good will. But when you have heard me, you may be glad, perchance, to speak of your own accord; for I don't know, I give you my solemn word, but that at this very moment you are talking to one of your own kin!' He fixed his eyes upon her, then, with great earnestness. 'My own kin?--What, Sir, do you mean?' 'I'll tell you out of hand, Ma'am,--if I may be so bold as to sit down; for whether we happen to be relations or no', there can be no law against our being friends.' Juliet hastily presented him a chair, and scarcely breathed from eagerness to reciprocate the enquiry. She had never heard the Admiral mentioned but by his military title. Seated now by her side, he looked at her for some instants, smilingly, though with glistening eyes; 'Madam,' he said, 'I had a sister whose name was Juliet!--and the name is dear to my soul for her sake! And it's no common name; so that I never hear it without being moved. She left a child, Ma'am, who for some unnatural reasons, that I sha'n't enter upon just now, was brought up in foreign parts. This child had her own sweet name; and her own sweet character, too, I make small doubt; as well as her own sweet face.'-- He stopt, and again more earnestly looked at Juliet; but, seeing her strongly affected, begged her pardon, and, brushing a tear from his eye, went on.