He came a little nearer, and, leaning against the turf wall, looked
down at her. He was suddenly grave now. The roles were again
reversed; for it was the woman who was tenacious to one purpose and
the man who seemed inconsequent, flitting from grave to gay, from
one thought to another. His apology had been made graciously
enough, but with a queer pride, quite devoid of the sullenness which
marks the pride of the humbly situated.

"No; I do not want that," he answered. "I want a little sympathy,
that is all; because I have been educated above my station. And I
looked for it from those who are responsible for that which is
nearly always a catastrophe. And it is your uncle who educated me.
He is responsible in the first instance, and, of course, I am
grateful to him."

"He could never have educated you," put in Miriam, "if you had not
been ready for the education."

Barebone put aside the point. He must, at all events, have learnt
humility from Septimus Marvin--a quality not natural to his
temperament.

"And you are responsible, as well," he went on, "because you have
taught me a use for the education."

"Indeed!" she said, gently and interrogatively, as if at last he had
reached the point to which she wished to bring him.

"Yes; the best use to which I could ever put it. To talk to you on
an equality."