to talk! Still, he had no supremacy over what was to be!

"Some would say it cannot be so great a matter to us, when we have known
each other such a little while!" I remarked.

"The true time is the long time!" he replied. "Would it be a sign that
our love was strong, that it took a great while to come to anything? The
strongest things--"

There he stopped, and I saw why: strongest things are not generally of
quickest growth! But there was the eucalyptus! And was not St. Paul as
good a Christian as any of them? I said nothing, however: there was
indeed no rule in the matter!

"You must allow it possible," I said, "that we may not be married!"

"I will not," he answered. "It is true my mother may get me brought in as
incapable of managing my own affairs; but--"

"What mother would do such a wicked thing!" I cried.

"_My_ mother," he answered.

"Oh!"

"She _would!_"

"I can't believe it."

"I am sure of it."