'There is no harm in Miss Green talking by the hour together with the doctor, because she is comfortably placed.

She has got an old father and mother on board who don't look after her, and everything is respectable.

But if I show any of the same propensities I ought almost to be put into irons.' 'Has anybody else been harsh to you ?' 'The Captain has been making inquiries,--no doubt with the idea that he may at last be driven to harsh measures.

Have you got a sister ?' 'No.' 'Or a mother ?' 'No.' 'Or a housemaid ?' 'Not even a housemaid.

I have no female belongings whatever.' 'Don't you know that if you had a sister, and a mother, and a housemaid, your mother would quite expect that your sister should in time have a lover, but that she would be horrified at the idea of the housemaid having a follower ?' 'I did not know that.