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Lewis advanced to Mr Stocks as soon as he had welcomed his aunt, and shook hands cordially "We see the last few days I never congratulated you enough, but you probably understood that ht splendidly, and I can't say I regret the issue You will do much better than I ever could"

Mr Stocks s him very near the top All the way up he had had Alice for a co woman, happy froracious He felt hi sense of being on a different plane, which he had always experienced in his coone, he hoped, for ever So he becaot the pomp of his talk and his inevitable principles, and assisted in laying lunch

Lady Manorwater drove her nephew into a corner

"Where have you been Lewis, all these days? If you had been anybody else, I should have said you were sulking I must speak to you seriously Do you know that Alice has been breaking her heart for you? I won't have the poor child h I don't in the least want you towith her"

Lewis had grown suddenly very red

"I think you are mistaken," he said stiffly "Miss Wishart does not care a straw for me If she is in love with anybody, it is with Stocks"

"I am much older than you, my dear, and I should know better I may as well confess that I hoped it would be Mr Stocks, but I can't disbelieve my own eyes The child beco me miserably unhappy, because I can't believe a word of it I havefool of myself lately, and I can't be blind to what she thinks of reat Lewis ashaain, for it isway, and my mind is my mind, you know But I can't expect Miss Wishart to take that point of view"

His aunt shook a hopeless head "Your moral nature is warped, my dear It has always been the same since you were a very s You could never be made to admire Emmanuel and his captains, but you set your heart on the reprobates Jolly and Griggish But get away and look after your guests, sir"