Understand, I knew of no one except you, and I didn't want to go to a theological school." "Humph!" grunted the professor, who was by no means well satisfied with the prospect, yet had reasons of his own for taking up the matter if possible.

He smoked for a while longer, and Bressant resumed his book.
"By-the-way, about this _incognito_ of yours," said the former at length, laying aside his pipe, and taking off his straw hat: he had forgotten to remove it on entering, and it had been oppressing him with a sense of vague inconvenience ever since.

"What is the meaning of it?
Do you mean to keep it strict?
Is the idea you own ?" "Oh, no! I heard nothing of it till after my father was dead.

It was Mrs.Vanderplanck--she who wrote you the letter--who first spoke to me of it, and said he had desired it.

I don't know what the necessity of it is, but it must be kept a strict secret.