"And when she is! How famous it will be."

"Then there's another thing; he is very poor, you know."

"I am sure papa doesn't care about people being rich."

"I suppose Alan thinks he ought not to marry, unless he could make
his wife comfortable."

"Look here--it would be all very easy: she should stay with us, and
be comfortable here, and he go to sea, and get lots of prize money."

"And that's what you call domestic felicity!" said Norman, laughing.

"He might have her when he was at home," said Ethel.

"No, no; that would never do," said Norman. "Do you think
Ernescliffe's a man that would marry a wife for her father to
maintain her?"

"Why, papa would like it very much. He is not a mercenary father in
a book."

"Hey! what's that?" said a voice Ethel little expected. "Contraband
talk at contraband times? What's this!"

"Did you hear, papa?" said Ethel, looking down.

"Only your last words, as I came up to ask Norman what he had done