v1] THE RED BARON. 303

soon made himself quite at home. It is the way with
you Englanders wherever you are. You think the
world is made for you to enjoy, and you do enjoy it
wherever you find yourselves, without caring for any-
body else inthe matter. Sir Smith was an Englander
all over. He ate and drank with the best of us, he
shot and fished and hunted, and he was good at all
those little home amusements which women appreciate.
He treated Christina, not as a child or a fool, as men
often treat women, but as a reasonable being and his
own equal. He talked to her, not in extravagant
compliments and upon nonsensical subjects, but
about books, and flowers and birds, things about
which he knew much, and she, poor child, was able to
understand and to learn; then he sang with her and
rode with her, he drew sketches of her favourite views,
he admired her pet dogs and horses ; in short, he did
everything which an agreeable man could do to make
himself dear to the maiden he loved. He succeeded.
How should he not succeed? My child saw but few
persons of her own rank, and certainly none who could
compare with the Englander.

‘Sir Smith had travelled much ; he knew more of
men and things than most people whom I have met.
He acquired over me some influence, though not
enough to make me alter my life, even if he had set
his whole wits to work in order to effect that object,
which he certainly never did. But I liked him well
enough to allow him to go on as he was doing at the
castle, though I ‘might have known that if things
went on as he wished, it would end in his carrying off
from me the treasure and comfort of my life. But in