"Of course, dearest lady," he said frankly.

"But I would have cut out my tongue sooner than suggest it." "I know that, my dear boy." "And yet," said he, "I can't bear the idea of tearing myself away from you.

It seems like black ingratitude." "It isn't.

You forget that James and I have our little ambitions too--the ambition of a master for a favourite pupil.

If you were a failure we should both be bitterly disappointed.