its food by the gifts which the Creator has given to it, let those gifts be as poor as they may, let them be even as distasteful as they may to other members of the great created family.  The rat, the toad, the slug, the flea, must each live according to its appointed mode of existence.  Animals which are parasites by nature can only live by attaching themselves to life that is strong.  To Arabella, Mr Gibson would be strong enough, and it seemed to her that it she could fix herself permanently upon his strength, that would be her proper mode of living.  She was not angry with him because he resisted the attempt, but she had nothing of conscience to tell her that she should spare him as long as there remained to her a chance of success.  And should not her plea of excuse, her justification be admitted?  There are tormentors as to which no man argues that they are iniquitous, though they be very troublesome.  He either rids himself of them, or suffers as quiescently as he may.

’We used to be such great friends, she said, still crying, ’and I am afraid you don’t like me a bit now.’

‘Indeed, I do I have always liked you.  But—­’

’But what?  Do tell me what the but means.  I will do anything that you bid me.’

Then it occurred to him that if, after such a promise, he were to confide to her his feeling that the chignon which she wore was ugly and unbecoming, she would probably be induced to change her mode of head-dress.  It was a foolish idea, because, had he followed it out, he would have seen that compliance on her part in such a matter could only be given with the distinct understanding that a certain reward should be the consequence.  When an unmarried gentleman calls upon an unmarried lady to change the fashion of her personal adornments, the unmarried lady has a right to expect that the unmarried gentleman means to make her his wife.  But Mr Gibson had no such meaning; and was led into error by the necessity for sudden action.  When she offered to do anything that he might bid her do, he could not take up his hat and go away he looked up into his face, expecting that he would give her some order and he fell into the temptation that was spread for him.

‘If I might say a word,’ he began.

‘You may say anything,’ she exclaimed.

‘If I were you I don’t think—­’

‘You don’t think what, Mr Gibson?’

He found it to be a matter very difficult of approach.  ’Do you know, I don’t think the fashion that has come up about wearing your hair quite suits you—­not so well as the way you used to do it.’  She became on a sudden very red in the face, and he thought that she was angry.  Vexed she was, but still, accompanying her vexation, there was a remembrance that she was achieving victory even by her own humiliation.  She loved her chignon; but she was ready to abandon even that for him.  Nevertheless she could not speak for a moment or two, and he was forced to continue his criticism.  ’I have no doubt those things are very becoming and all that, and I dare say they are comfortable.’