I would enlighten the good lady in regard to the true position, or
rather the no position at all, which she occupied. Our way lay for a
couple of miles along an old road, towards a clearing which had been
abandoned, and through which the stream flowed. The tall old trees
spread their long arms over us, clothed in the rich verdure of spring,
and the breeze, so fresh and fragrant, moaned, and sighed, and
whispered among the leaves.

"'My dear,' said I, blandly, as we rode along, the birds singing
merrily among the branches above us, 'do you know that you
are NOBODY?'

"'Nobody, Mr. W----,' (I was simply Mr. W----then; I had not become,
nor even dreamed that I should become a Doctor), 'Nobody, Mr. W----?
Did you say nobody?'

"'Absolutely nobody,' said I. 'A perfect nonentity. You are less even
than a legal fiction.'

"'Look you,' said she, as she applied the whip to her pony, in a way
that brought him, with a bound, across the road directly in front of
me (she rode like a belted knight), obstructing my progress, 'Look
you, Mr. W----,' and there was a red spot on her cheek, and her eye
sparkled like the sheen of a diamond, 'let us settle this matter now.
I can bear being of small consideration, occupying very little space
in the world, but to be stricken out of existence entirely, to possess
no legal identity, to be regarded as absolutely nobody, is a thing I
don't intend to stand--mark that, Mr. W----.'

"'Keep cool, my dear,' said I; 'let us argue this matter.' I was calm,