A lace-mender may make a good wife as well as a lady; but of course you have taken care to ascertain thoroughly that since she has not education, fortune or station, she is well furnished with such natural qualities as you think most likely to conduce to your happiness.

Has she many relations ?" "None in Brussels." "That is better.

Relations are often the real evil in such cases.

I cannot but think that a train of inferior connections would have been a bore to you to your life's end." After sitting in silence a little while longer, Hunsden rose, and was quietly bidding me good evening; the polite, considerate manner in which he offered me his hand (a thing he had never done before), convinced me that he thought I had made a terrible fool of myself; and that, ruined and thrown away as I was, it was no time for sarcasm or cynicism, or indeed for anything but indulgence and forbearance.
"Good night, William," he said, in a really soft voice, while his face looked benevolently compassionate.

"Good night, lad.