"Come, come, elder brother, you are too young in this!"--
As You Like It "Alick, I have something to say to you."
Captain Keith did not choose to let his sister travel alone, when he
could help it, and therefore was going to Bath with her, intending to
return to Avoncester by the next down train. He made no secret that he
thought it a great deal of trouble, and had been for some time asleep,
when, at about two stations from Bath, Bessie having shut the little
door in the middle of the carriage, thus addressed him, "Alick, I have
something to say to you, and I suppose I may as well say it now."
She pressed upon his knee, and with an affected laziness, he drew his
eyes wide open.
"Ah, well, I've been a sore plague to you, but I shall be off your hands
now."
"Eh! whose head have you been turning?"
"Alick, what do you think of Lord Keith?"
Alick was awake enough now! "The old ass!" he exclaimed. "But at least
you are out of his way now."
"Not at all. He is coming to Bath to-morrow to see my aunt."
"And you want me to go out to-morrow and stop him?"
"No, Alick, not exactly. I have been cast about the world too long not
to be thankful."
"Elizabeth!"
"Do not look so very much surprised," she said, in her sweet pleading
way. "May I not be supposed able to feel that noble kindness and
gracious manner, and be glad to have some one to look up to?"
"And how about Charlie Carleton?" demanded Alick, turning round full on
her.
"For shame, Alick!" she exclaimed hotly; "you who were the one to
persecute me about him, and tell me all sorts of things about his being
shallow and unprincipled, and not to be thought of, you to bring him up
against me now."
"I might think all you allege," returned Alick, gravely, "and yet be
much amazed at the new project."
Bessie laughed. "In fact you made a little romance, in which you acted
the part of sapient brother, and the poor little sister broke her heart
ever after! You wanted such an entertainment when you were lying on the
sofa, so you created a heroine and a villain, and thundered down to the
rescue."
"Very pretty, Bessie, but it will not do. It was long after I was well
again, and had joined."
"Then it was the well-considered effect of the musings of your
convalescence! When you have a sister to take care of, it is as well to
feel that you are doing it."
"Now, Elizabeth," said her brother, with seriousness not to be laughed
aside, and laying his hand on hers, "before I hear another word on this
matter, look me in the face and tell me deliberately that you never
cared for Carleton."