Nora stood a little aloof, regarding Julius in an ecstasy of admiration.
When she found her mother was looking at her, her eyes sank, and as it
were a veil of blushes fell over her. Mother and son walked on first,
and Julius followed with Nora.

"He is a most charming and extraordinary man," said the mother.

"He is," said the son, "and amazingly intelligent."

"He seems to know everything, and to have been everywhere,--to have been
a kind of rolling stone. If anything should come of this, I suppose he
can afford to marry. You ought to know about him."

"I believe I know as much as any one."

"He has no profession?" queried the lady.

"He has no profession; but I suppose he could afford it," said Lefevre
musingly.

"You don't like the idea," said his mother.

"Not much. I scarce know why. But I somehow think of him as not having
enough sense of the responsibility of life."

"I suppose his people are of the right sort?"

"I suppose they are; though I don't know if he has any people," said he,
with a laugh. "He is the kind of man who does not need parents or
relations."