“Ah! But you can learn,” she returned; “and you are a clever, clever man!”

“Nonsense, mouse!” said I.

“I wish,” resumed my wife, after a long silence, “that I could have gone down into the country for a whole year, and lived with Agnes!”

Her hands were clasped upon my shoulder, and her chin rested on them, and her blue eyes looked quietly into mine.

“Why so?” I asked.

“I think she might have improved me, and I think I might have learned from her ,” said Dora.

“All in good time, my love. Agnes has had her father to take care of for these many years, you should remember. Even when she was quite a child, she was the Agnes whom we know,” said I.