the court and everything else in his easy way, and drawing the brightest pictures of the character he was to settle into — alas, when the grievous suit should loose its hold upon him! We had a long talk, but it always came back to that, in substance.

At last, we came to Soho Square, where Caddy Jellyby had appointed to wait for me, as a quiet place in the neighbourhood of Newman Street. Caddy was in the garden in the centre, and hurried out as soon as I appeared. After a few cheerful words, Richard left us together.

‘Prince has a pupil over the way, Esther,’ said Caddy, ‘and got the key for us. So, if you will walk round and round here with me, we can lock ourselves in, and I can tell you comfortably what I wanted to see your dear good face about.’

‘Very well, my dear,’ said I. ‘Nothing could be better.’ So Caddy, after affectionately squeezing the dear good face as she called it, locked the gate, and took my arm, and we began to walk round the garden very cosily.

‘You see, Esther,’ said Caddy, who thoroughly enjoyed a little confidence, ‘after you spoke to me about its being wrong to marry without Ma’s knowledge, or even to keep Ma long in the dark respecting our engagement — though I don’t believe Ma cares much for me, I must say — I thought it right to mention your opinions to Prince. In the first place, because I want to profit by everything you tell me; and in the second place, because I have no secrets from Prince.’

‘I hope he approved, Caddy?’

‘O, my dear! I assure you he would approve of anything you could say. You have no idea what an opimon he has of you!’

‘Indeed?’

‘Esther, it’s enough to make anybody but me jealous,’ said Caddy, laughing and shaking her head; ‘but it only makes me joyful, for you are the first friend I ever had, and the best friend I ever can have, and nobody can respect and love you too much to please me.’

‘Upon my word, Caddy,’ said I, ‘you are in the general conspiracy to keep me in a good humour. Well, my dear?’

‘Well! I am going to tell you,’ replied Caddy, crossing her hands confidentially upon my arm. ‘So we talked a good deal about it, and so I said to Prince, “Prince, as Miss Summerson—”’

‘I hope you didn’t say “Miss Summerson?”’

‘No. I didn’t!’ cried Caddy, greatly pleased, and with the brightest of faces. ‘I said, “Esther.” I said to Prince, “As Esther is decidedly of that opinion, Prince, and has expressed it to me, and always hints it when she writes those kind notes, which you are so fond of hearing me read to you, I am prepared to disclose the truth to Ma whenever you think proper. And I think, Prince,” said I, “that Esther thinks that I should be in a better, and truer, and more honourable position altogether, if you did the same to your papa.”’

‘Yes, my dear,’ said I. ‘Esther certainly does think so.’

‘So I was right, you see!’ exclaimed Caddy. ‘Well! This troubled Prince a good deal; not because he had the least doubt about it, but because he is so considerate of the feelings of old Mr Turveydrop; and he had his apprehensions that old Mr Turveydrop might break his heart, or faint away, or be very much overcome in some affecting manner or other, if he made such an announcement. He feared old Mr Turveydrop might consider it undutiful, and might receive too great a shock. For, old Mr Turveydrop’s deportment is very beautiful you know, Esther,’ said Caddy; ‘and his feelings are extremely sensitive.’