CHAPTER VII.

THE UNIVERSITY MAN.

"But, in the instant that your messenger came, in loving visitation with me was a young doctor of Rome."

SHAKSPERE: Merchant of Venice.

ONE morning, some weeks later, Miss Meldrum and Helen sat reading in the breakfast-room. They spent most of their mornings there: it was the cosiest room in the house. Helen was now past the age for set lessons; nevertheless Miss Meldrum maintained that it was absurd for a girl of eighteen to think that she had "finished her education," and gave Helen a regular course of reading in various departments of literature.

As they sat reading, Natalia announced "Captain Maleenovsky." Miss Meldrum saw that Helen blushed, and drew her own conclusions. There were reasons why she might have been glad at the thought of her falling in love with the gallant guardsman. Frederick Randal was no favourite with her. She honestly believed that he would not make a good husband for Helen. Moreover, she did not

like him on her own account. He was often rude to her, and, more than any one else, made her feel her dependent position. In the pride of youth, he talked of her as a "prim old maid;" and, in the pride of wealth, he thought of her as "only a governess." Captain Maleenovsky, on the other hand, was always courteous and more than courteous to her: he had an eye to see her worth; and he was better able than Randal to judge of her talents and accomplishments. He had made a favourable impression upon her from the first; and, every time she saw him, that impression had been deepened. But Miss Meldrum was far too true a friend to be swayed by such feelings. There was a sacred duty which she owed to Helen; and she had long made up her mind to discharge that duty faithfully. In many senses she was a guardian to the motherless child; and she meant, if she could, to save her from an ill-assorted match. As a matter of theory, she believed that to tie a Russian husband to an English wife would be as bad as binding a lion to a lamb; and, as a matter of fact, while many greatly wondered, in spite of her plainness, that she was still an old maid, she knew that, if she could only have brought

herself to exchange her English name for a Russian, she need not have been Miss MelShe therefore resolved to watch

drum still.

Maleenovsky narrowly.

He entered with the confidence of a man who was sure of his footing in the house. He was very polite (he always was); but there was an ease in all his movements which showed that he felt quite at home. He had visited the Camerons often enough to make Miss Meldrum anxious, and Frederick Randal jealous. Either Mr. Cameron or Miss Meldrum had always been present at their interviews; and, therefore, even if he had wished it, he could not have spoken of love to the beautiful girl. But love has another language beside that of words. The eye can speak; and the hand can speak. A keen observer might have detected weeks before that Captain Maleenovsky loved Helen Cameron. Even Miss Meldrum might have found it out, if she had not been what Randal called a "prim old maid." As for Helen, she felt it already. And her own feelings toward him? Well, he was still, in some measure, one of Byron's heroes to her: only, unhappily, whenever he was in her presence, his stern, strong face was lighted up with

a sweet smile which was anything but Byronic. As he shook hands with her now, he gave her hand a gentle squeeze, which made the blood mount up to her face. Miss Meldrum made a private note of it in a corner of her mind.

"Always hard at work!" cried Captain Maleenovsky in French. "Why, Mademoiselle Meldrum, you will work her to death!"

And he seated himself as near Helen as he durst, in the hazy state of their relations to each other.

"Then I shall have to-die with her," answered Miss Meldrum, in her jerkiest style, "because you see that I-work with her." "But surely, mademoiselle, the difference in your ages must make some difference."

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"I humbly thank you, monsieur, for-the compliment," said Miss Meldrum, laughing: you mean to say that-a dried-up old maid -like myself, should be-tough enough for anything."

"I humbly beg your pardon, mademoiselle," answered the captain: "nothing could be farther from my meaning; but surely we middle-aged folks can bear more confinement than the young.'

Miss Meldrum smiled. Was she pleased? Helen laughed outright, and said:

"You speak as if you were old enough to be my father, monsieur."

"I could scarcely claim that honour, mademoiselle," answered the captain, smiling in his turn.

"And, do you know, monsieur, Mademoiselle Meldrum is old enough to be my father's mother."

Helen Cameron had not as yet learned to regard the feelings of others.

Miss Meldrum say (in English):

Well might

"There was no need to bring that in,

Helen."

Nor was there any need for Helen to

answer:

"None whatever."

She meant that Miss Meldrum's age was clearly stamped on her face. Well, Captain Maleenovsky was much more polite than Helen. He said:

"You must be mistaken, mademoiselle."

But Helen, with all her faults, was, after all, a generous girl. She felt that she had said what might hurt Miss Meldrum's feelings, and she wanted to make her some atonement.