according to certain highly instructed scientists and philosophers, the
senses and affections grow numb with age. I do not believe this theory
myself--for the jejune love of youth is as a taper's flame to the great
and passionate tenderness of maturity, when the soul, and not the body,
claims its due; when love is not dragged down to the vulgar level of
mere cohabitation, after the fashion of the animals in a farmyard, but
rises to the best height of human sympathy and intelligent
comprehension. Who knows!--I may experience such a love as that yet,--
and so may you!"

She was silent.

"Talking of love,"--he went on--"May I ask whether our son,--or rather
the nation's son, Humphry,--ever makes you his confidante?"

"Never!" she replied.

"I thought not! We do not seem to be the kind of parents admired in
moral story-books, Madam! We are not the revered darlings of our
children. In fact, our children have the happy disposition of animal
cubs,--once out of the nursing stage, they forget they ever had
parents. It is quite the natural and proper thing, born as they were
born,--it would never do for them to have any over-filial regard for
us. Imagine Humphry weeping for my death, or yours! What a grotesque
idea! And as for Rupert and Cyprian,--it is devoutly to be hoped that
when we die, our funerals may be well over before the great cricket
matches of the year come on, as otherwise they will curse us for having
left the world at an inconvenient season!" He laughed. "How sentiment
has gone out nowadays, or how it seems to have gone out! Yet it
slumbers in the heart of the nation,--and if it should ever awaken,--