"I  revere  the  memory  of  Mr.  F  as  an  estimable  man  and  most
indulgent  husband,  only  necessary  to  mention  Asparagus  and  it  appeared
or  to  hint  at  any  little  delicate  thing  to  drink  and  it  came  like  magic
in  a  pint  bottle  it  was  not  ecstacy  but  it  was  comfort,  I  returned  to
papa's  roof  and  lived  secluded  if  not  happy  during  some  years  until
one  day  papa  came  smoothly  blundering  in  and  said  that  Arthur  Clen-
nam awaited  me  below,  I  went  below  and  found  him  ask  me  not  what
I  found  him  except  that  he  was  still  unmarried  still  unchanged  !  "

The  dark  mystery  with  which  Flora  now  enshrouded  herself  might
have  stopped  other  fingers  than  the  nimble  fingers  that  worked  near
her.  They  worked  on,  without  pause,  and  the  busy  head  bent  over
them  watching  the  stitches.
210  LITTLE   DOEMT.
"  Ask  me  not,"  said  Flora,  "if  I  love  him  still  or  if  he  still  loves
me  or  what  the  end  is  to  be  or  when,  we  are  surrounded  by  watchful
eyes  and  it  may  be  that  we  are  destined  to  pine  asunder  it  may  be
never  more  to  be  reunited  not  a  word  not  a  breath  not  a  look  to  betray
us  all  must  be  secret  as  the  tomb  wonder  not  therefore  that  even  if  I
should  seem  comparatively  cold  to  Arthur  or  Arthur  should  seem  com-
paratively cold  to  me  we  have  fatal  reasons  it  is  enough  if  we  under-
stand them  hush ! "

All  of  which  Flora  said  with  so  much  headlong  vehemence  as  if  she
really  believed  it.  There  is  not  much  doubt,  that,  when  she  worked
herself  into  full  mermaid  condition,  she  did  actually  believe  whatever
she  said  in  it.
