I was but a penniless lieutenant: her parents interfered: and I embarked for India, where I had the honour of being secretary to Lord Buckley, when commander-in-Chief without her.

What happened?
We returned our letters, sent back our locks of hair (the Major here passed his fingers through his wig), we suffered--but we recovered.

She is now a baronet's wife with thirteen grown-up children; altered, it is true, in person; but her daughters remind me of what she was, and the third is to be presented early next week." Helen did not answer.

She was still thinking of old times.

I suppose if one lives to be a hundred: there are certain passages of one's early life whereof the recollection will always carry us back to youth again, and that Helen was thinking of one of these.
"Look at my own brother, my dear creature," the Major continued gallantly: "he himself, you know, had a little disappointment when he started in the--the medical profession--an eligible opportunity presented itself.