But an English 'at home' acts upon me like a patent refrigerator--I get regularly frozen to the bone!" "Dear me!" laughed Zara; "you give very bad accounts of Shakespeare's land! It must be very sad!" "I believe it wasn't always so," pursued Colonel Everard; "there are legends which speak of it as Merrie England.

I dare say it might have been merry once, before it was governed by shopkeepers; but now, you must get away from it if you want to enjoy life.

At least such is my opinion.

But have you never been in England, Madame Casimir?
You speak English perfectly." "Oh, I am a fairly good linguist," replied Zara, "thanks to my brother.
But I have never crossed the Channel." The Misses Challoner looked politely surprised; their father's shrewd face wore an expression of grim contentment.
"Don't cross it, ma'am," he said emphatically, "unless you have a special desire to be miserable.

If you want to know how Christians love one another and how to be made limply and uselessly wretched, spend a Sunday in London." "I think I will not try the experiment, Mr.Challoner," returned Zara gaily.