"My Fabian," she would say to herself, "my Fabian can never prove
unfaithful to me. He is too much of an idler, and thinks only of his
sofa, pipe and tobacco."

But we will resume the thread of the worthy couple's conversation.

"Who is again making love to you?" inquired Mr. Fabian again.

Mrs. Ulrica uplifted her reproachful eyes to Heaven. "He asks who! he
has not even observed it!"

"No, my dear wife, I have not."

"And yet he has this entire day--," she turned her face aside, feigning
to conceal a blush.

"To-day! Why we have had no gentlemen guests to-day, except the pastor's
assistant who came with the young ladies, and took his departure before
they did."

"No gentlemen guests! As if he, the accomplished scholar, and
entertaining gentleman, was nobody! and it was nothing that--"

"Well, what further?"

"That he, carried away by those charms, that you have so long observed
with indifference, should become deeply smitten with me."

"What! Do you think he entertains a secret affection for you?"