"Monsieur Cameron, you Englishmen ought to be the last to speak in that way," answered Maleenovsky reproachfully: "would you thus lightly transfer your allegiance from one lady to another?" Mr. Cameron winced: he had transferred his allegiance from Miss Agnes Randal to Helen's mother. And what had he reaped? Of course, Captain Maleenovsky knew nothing of that early page in Mr. Cameron's history: otherwise, he was too much of a gentleman to have asked the question. heart on "I beg your pardon," said Mr. Cameron: "I did not know you had fixed your any particular lady. But you must not be down-hearted: hope for the best." "I believe I am as little likely to be downhearted as any man," answered Captain Maleenovsky, with a touch of pride. "But, monsieur, I can't help looking facts in the face. No use in ignoring facts: we must courageously accept them, and make the best of them." From time to time Maleenovsky had glanced at Helen, to mark the effect of his words. To his joy, he saw that she understood him. But, to his astonishment, he found that his an nouncement was anything but disheartening to her. Crush her love, indeed! Why, her love had blown into full size within the last few minutes. All uncertainty and doubt were gone. His mysterious behaviour was fully accounted for. He loved her, that was clear; and the only barrier between them was— money The idea of money severing them! She knew better than that. Why, she would have money enough for both. She was her father's only child; and he was said to be worth a million. Who ever heard of two faithful loving hearts being sundered by gold? "Why," said Mr. Cameron, "many a poor man has married a rich man's daughter." "Honourably?" There was something so significant in Captain Maleenovsky's tone, as he asked this question, that Mr. Cameron paused and looked at him before he answered. At length, he said: "Why not?" Captain Maleenovsky smiled and answered: "You must excuse me for being somewhat sceptical; but we can bring the matter to a practical test at once." Then he paused, as if scarcely liking to apply the practical test. "Forgive me for being personal," he added. "You are a rich man: would you consent to your daughter marrying a poor one?" Mr. Cameron was taken aback by this startling ad hominem argument; and, to save his daughter, sacrificed his cause. That "No-o!" he cried emphatically: "never!" "There, you see!" answered Captain Maleenovsky, laughing grimly: "when we come to the point, it is not so simple as you thought." But his heart was not laughing. "no!" rang through it like a death-knell. Helen, on the other hand, kept her countenance, but was really laughing in her heart. The difference between them arose from the different estimates they made of a father's authority. Captain Maleenovsky argued the question from the Russian stand-point; Helen, from the English. In Russia, the bride was seldom consulted on the choice of a husband. The lover applied to her father and mother: and they settled the matter; sometimes even without her knowledge! The idea of marrying Helen Cameron without her father's consent never entered Captain Maleenovsky's brain. Helen, on the other hand, had the Anglo-Saxon ideas about freedom of choice. She loved her father dearly; but she had no notion of sacrificing her love to his will. Her father prevent her from marrying the man she loved! Why, she always had her own way in everything. She would coax and wheedle him into giving his consent. It was all very well for him to say, "No!" That "no" would in good time be turned into a "yes." Not a doubt about it! Nothing more was said on the subject; and, soon afterwards, Captain Maleenovsky bade farewell to Mr. Cameron and his daughter. Helen looked back upon his retreating figure with new feelings and hopes; with a joy at her heart, of which she fondly hoped that nothing could rob her henceforth. This was a crisis in her history. I think the Grub stage was drawing to an end. The power which could unfold the wings was clearly at work within her. For this was not a common worm of the dust, but a Grub; with the possibilities of Butterfly-hood wrapped up in her nature. Possibilities, the measure of which the future was to reveal. It might be to soar to the higher regions of papilionic achievement. It might be to remain on the lower level of respectable Butterfly-hood. But clearly never more to grovel in the dust. As one, CHAPTER XVI. TO HAVE, OR NOT TO HAVE. "For thou hast been in suffering all, that suffers nothing; SHAKSPERE: Hamlet. CAPTAIN MALEENOVSKY had prosecuted his appeal in the Senate with characteristic energy. It was usual for suitors to canvass the senators, and ask for their votes; and, unless said senators were much belied, more money changed hands, during some of those trials, than members of parliament ever paid for the honour of sitting in the House of Commons. We are all, more or less, the creatures of public opinion: few of us ever rise far above the common level of thought and feeling around us. Captain Maleenovsky was undoubtedly a man above the common; and it was a striking token of the low state of public feeling in Russia, at that time, that |