He — A  bad  lookout  for  me !  Hope  they're  no  relations  of
mine.    What  part  of  the  country  ?

She — Oh,  near  us ;  near — ^but  I  have  hardly  met  them ;  only
I  hear  such  things  about  them  from  my  guardian ;  it  is  he  who
is  always  abusing  them.  They  are  such  disagreeable  neighbors,
he  says :  the  mother  gives  herself  such  airs,  and  the  sons  are  so
stuck-up.
He — ^That  must  be  painful  for  them.  Are  there  many  of
them,  and  are  they  all  like  that  ?

She — Three  or  four  are.  I  don't  know  about  the  eldest ;  I've
never  seen  -him  at  all.  No  one  has  much.  He  owns  the
estates,  has  the  title,  but  he's  always  away,  shooting  or  travelling
about  the  world.     He's  half  a  wild  man,  I  believe.
222  An  Express  Idyl

He — What  a  curious  person  ?  I  should  be  very  sorry  to  re-
semble him.  And  I  don't  think  I'm  at  all  stuck-up.  So  your
guardian  hates  the  Fitz- Hughs  ?     Perhaps  it's  a  little  his  fault

She — I  dare  say.     He's  horrid !     I  can't  bear  him !

He — Won't  let  you  do  foolish  things,  perhaps  ?

She  (blushes  crimson) — What  do  you  mean  ?

He — You've  just  been  doing  something  foolish,  liaven't  you  ?
I  don't  want  to  presume — I  would  not  force  your  confidence  for
the  world  ;  but,  you  know,  confession  is  good  for  the  soul.
She  (still  scarlet) — I  certainly  shall  tell  you  nothing!  I
wonder  how  you  dare  to  ask!  You  are  taking  a  very  great
liberty.     I  think  you  are  exceedingly  rude.
He — No,  indeed  no !  Nothing  was  further  from  my  intentions.
