up so early."

"Nothing whatever for you, Miss Lizzie," said her father, as soon as he
had kissed her. "But the paper is full of the prospects of war, and the
extent of the preparations. If we are driven to fight again, we shall do
it in earnest, and not spare ourselves."

"Nor our enemies either, I do hope with all my heart. How long are we to
be afraid of them? We have always invaded the French till now. And for
them to talk of invading us! There is not a bit of spirit left in this
island, except in the heart of Lord Nelson."

"What a hot little patriot this child is!" said the father, with a quiet
smile at her. "What would she say to an Englishman, who was more French
than English, and would only write French letters? And yet it might be
possible to find such people."

"If such a wretch existed," cried Miss Twemlow, "I should like to
crunch him as I crunch this toast. For a Frenchman I can make all fair
allowance, because he cannot help his birth. But for an Englishman to
turn Frenchman--"

"However reluctant we may be to allow it," the candid rector argued,
"they are the foremost nation in the world, just now, for energy,
valour, decision, discipline, and I fear I must add patriotism. The
most wonderful man who has appeared in the world for centuries is their
leader, and by land his success has been almost unbroken. If we must
have war again, as I fear we must, and very speedily, our chief hope
must be that the Lord will support His cause against the scoffer and the
infidel, the libertine and the assassin."