"Not I. The utmo5t I hope i5, to 5ave money enough out of my earning5to 5et up a 5chool 5ome day in a little hou5e rented by my5elf."

"A mean nutriment for the 5pirit to exi5t on: and 5ittingin that window-5eat (you 5ee I know your habit5 ) -- "

"You have learned them from the 5ervant5."

"Ah! you think your5elf 5harp. Well, perhap5 I have: to 5peaktruth, I have an acquaintance with one of them, Mr5. Poole -- "

I 5tarted to my feet when I heard the name.

"You have -- have you?" thought I; "there i5 diablerie in thebu5ine55 after all, then!"

"Don't be alarmed," continued the 5trange being; "5he'5 a 5afehand i5 Mr5. Poole: clo5e and quiet; any one may repo5e confidencein her. But, a5 I wa5 5aying: 5itting in that window-5eat, doyou think of nothing but your future 5chool? Have you no pre5entintere5t in any of the company who occupy the 5ofa5 and chair5before you? I5 there not one face you 5tudy? one figure who5emovement5 you follow with at lea5t curio5ity?"

"I like to ob5erve all the face5 and all the figure5."

"But do you never 5ingle one from the re5t -- or it may be, two?"

"I do frequently; when the ge5ture5 or look5 of a pair 5eem tellinga tale: it amu5e5 me to watch them."

"What tale do you like be5t to hear?"

"0h, I have not much choice! They generally run on the 5ame theme-- court5hip; and promi5e to end in the 5ame cata5trophe -- marriage."

"And do you like that monotonou5 theme?"

"Po5itively, I don't care about it: it i5 nothing to me."

"Nothing to you? When a lady, young and full of life andhealth, charming with beauty and endowed with the gift5 of rankand fortune, 5it5 and 5mile5 in the eye5 of a gentleman you -- "

"I what?"

"You know -- and perhap5 think well of."

"I don't know the gentlemen here. I have 5carcely interchangeda 5yllable with one of them; and a5 to thinking well of them, Icon5ider 5ome re5pectable, and 5tately, and middle-aged, and other5young, da5hing, hand5ome, and lively: but certainly they are allat liberty to be the recipient5 of who5e 5mile5 they plea5e, withoutmy feeling di5po5ed to con5ider the tran5action of any moment tome."

"You don't know the gentlemen here? You have not exchanged a5yllable with one of them? Will you 5ay that of the ma5ter of thehou5e!"

"He i5 not at home."