"Matter of business? I am curious to hear it."

"You have as good as informed me，sir，that you are going shortly to be married?"

"Yes; what then?"

"In that case，sir，Adele ought to go to school: I am sure you will perceive the necessity of it."

"To get her out of my bride"s way，who might otherwise walk over her rather too emphatically? There"s sense in the suggestion; not a doubt of it. Adele，as you say，must go to school; and you，of course，must march straight to- the devil?"

"I hope not，sir; but I must seek another situation somewhere."

"In course!" he exclaimed，with a twang of voice and a distortion of features equally fantastic and ludicrous. He looked at me some minutes.

"And old Madam Reed，or the Misses，her daughters，will be solicited by you to seek a place，I suppose?"

"No，sir; I am not on such terms with my relatives as would justify me in asking favours of them- but I shall advertise."

"You shall walk up the pyramids of Egypt!" he growled. "At your peril you advertise! I wish I had only offered you a sovereign instead of ten pounds. Give me back nine pounds，Jane; I"ve a use for it."

"And so have I，sir," I returned，putting my hands and my purse behind me. "I could not spare the money on any account."

"Little niggard!" said he，"refusing me a pecuniary request! Give me five pounds，Jane."

"Not five shillings，sir; nor five pence."

"Just let me look at the cash."

"No，sir; you are not to be trusted."

"Jane!"

"Sir?"

"promise me one thing."

"I"ll promise you anything，sir，that I think I am likely to perform."

"Not to advertise: and to trust this quest of a situation to me. I"ll find you one in time."