How can she offend you ?" To this Mr.Wentworth made no immediate answer.

Then, in a moment, "She has not profited as we hoped." "Profited?
Ah voila!" Felix exclaimed.
Gertrude was very pale; she stood looking down.

"I have told Felix I would go away with him," she presently said.
"Ah, you have said some admirable things!" cried the young man.
"Go away, sister ?" asked Charlotte.
"Away--away; to some strange country." "That is to frighten you," said Felix, smiling at Charlotte.
"To--what do you call it ?" asked Gertrude, turning an instant to Felix.
"To Bohemia." "Do you propose to dispense with preliminaries ?" asked Mr.Wentworth, getting up.
"Dear uncle, vous plaisantez!" cried Felix.

"It seems to me that these are preliminaries." Gertrude turned to her father.

"I have profited," she said.