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"A certain lady?"

"The Lady Sophia Sefton, of Cambourne," said I

Charmian's pen stopped in the very middle of a letter, and she

bent down to exa

"Oh!" said she very softly, "the Lady Sophia Sefton of Cambourne?"

"Yes," said I

"And--your cousin--Sir Maurice--were the conditions the same in

his case?"

"Precisely!"

"Oh!" said Charmian, just as softly as before, "and this lady

--she will not--marry you?"

"No," I answered

"Are you quite--sure?"

"Certain!--you see, I never intend to ask her"

Charmian suddenly raised her head and looked at me, "Why not, Peter?"

"Because, should I ever ency, and most

improbable--I am sufficiently self-willed to prefer to exert my

own choice in the matter; moreover, this lady is a celebrated

toast, and it would be nant to me that my wife's name

should ever have been bandied frolasses--"

The pen slipped froers to the floor, and before

I could pick it up she had forestalled me, so that when she

raised her head she was flushed with stooping