The real origin of it was its needfulness to the perfecting of my fire-engine.' 'Pardon me, my lord, but it seems to me that without the cistern there would be no need for the engine.

How should you want or how could you use the unhandsome thing?
Then how should the cistern be necessary to the engine ?' 'Handsome is that handsome does,' returned his lordship.

'Truly, cousin Dorothy, you speak well, but you must learn to hear better.

I did not say that the cistern existed for the sake of the engine, but for the sake of the perfecting of the engine.

Cousin Dorothy, I will give you the largest possible proof of my confidence in you, by not only explaining to you the working of my fire-engine, but acquainting you--only you must not betray me!' 'I, in my turn,' said Dorothy, 'will give your lordship, if not the strongest, yet a very strong proof of my confidence: I promise to keep your secret before knowing what it is.' 'Thanks, cousin.