" His second, "All the world is against her, poor thing."
"Is she to bear the blame of my folly?"
"Why not? She is the cause of your folly. It began with her setting
her cap at you."
"No, sir, you do her wrong. She is modesty itself."
"Ta! ta! ta! you are a sailor, green as sea-weed."
"Mr. Bazalgette, as I am a gentleman, she never has encouraged me to
love her as I do."
"Your statement, sir, is one which becomes a gentleman--under the
circumstances. But I happen to have watched her. It is a thing I have
taken the trouble to do for some time past. It was my interest in you
that made me curious, and apprehensive--on your account."
"Then, if you have watched her, you must have seen her avoid me."
"Pooh! pooh! that was drawing the bait; these old stagers can all do
that."
"Old stagers!" and David looked as if blasphemy had been uttered.
Bazalgette wore a grin of infinite irony.
"Don't be shocked," said he; "of course, I mean old in flirtation; no
lady is old in years."
"_She_ is not, at all events."
"It is agreed. There are legal fictions, and why not social ones?"
"I don't understand you, sir; and, in truth, it is all a puzzle to me.
You don't seem angry with me?"
"Why, of course not, my poor fellow; I pity you."
"Yet you discourage me, Mr. Bazalgette."
"But not from any selfish motive. I want to spare you the
mortification that is in store for you. Remember, I have seen the
_end_ of about a dozen of you.
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