"Then that shows how often you come to see your relations, Hubert!"
my aunt burst out, obliquely. "The man's been here, to my certain
knowledge, every day this six weeks."

"Really, Aunt Fanny," I said; "you must recollect that a professional
man--"

"Oh, yes. THAT'S the way! Lay it all down to your profession, do,
Hubert! Though I KNOW you were at the Thorntons' on Saturday--saw it in
the papers--the Morning Post--'among the guests were Sir Edward and Lady
Burnes, Professor Sebastian, Dr. Hubert Cumberledge,' and so forth, and
so forth. YOU think you can conceal these things; but you can't. I get
to know them!"

"Conceal them! My dearest aunt! Why, I danced twice with Daphne."

"Daphne! Yes, Daphne. They all run after Daphne," my aunt exclaimed,
altering the venue once more. "But there's no respect for age left.
_I_ expect to be neglected. However, that's neither here nor there. The
point is this: you're the one man now living in the family. You ought
to behave like a brother to Daphne. Why don't you board this Holsworthy
person and ask him his intentions?"

"Goodness gracious!" I cried; "most excellent of aunts, that epoch has
gone past. The late lamented Queen Anne is now dead. It's no use asking
the young man of to-day to explain his intentions. He will refer you to
the works of the Scandinavian dramatists."

My aunt was speechless. She could only gurgle out the words: "Well,