mamma。 Do you go with papa and put him in good humour； and it he says
anything about the lords and the bishops； don't you contradict him； you
know。〃
What will not a man do for love？ Mr。 Ingram promised。
And in this way they started； the two boys led the van； then came Mr。
Damer and Mr。 Ingram； unusually and unpatriotically acquiescent as to
England's aristocratic propensities； then Miss Dawkins riding； alas！
alone； after her； M。 Delabordeau； also alone；the ungallant Frenchman！
And the rear was brought up by Mrs。 Damer and her daughter； flanked on
each side by a dragoman； with a third dragoman behind them。
And in this order they went back to Cairo； riding their donkeys； and
crossing the ferry solemnly； and； for the most part； silently。 Mr。
Ingram did talk； as he had an important object in view；that of
putting Mr。 Damer into a good humour。
In this he succeeded so well that by the time they had remounted； after
crossing the Nile； Mr。 Damer opened his heart to his companion on the
subject that was troubling him； and told him all about Miss Dawkins。
〃I don't see why we should have a companion that we don't like for
eight or ten weeks； merely because it seems rude to refuse a lady。〃
〃Indeed； I agree with you；〃 said Mr。 Ingram； 〃I should call it weak…
minded to give way in such a case。〃
〃My daughter does not like her at all；〃 continued Mr。 Damer。
〃Nor would she be a nice companion for Miss Damer； not according to my
way of thinking；〃 said Mr。 Ingram。
〃And as to my having asked her； or Mrs。 Damer having asked her！ Why；
God bless my soul； it is pure invention on the woman's part！〃
〃Ha！ ha！ ha！〃 laughed Mr。 Ingram； 〃I must say she plays her game well；
but then she is an old soldier； and has the benefit of experience。〃
What would Miss Dawkins have said had she known that Mr。 Ingram called
her an old soldier？
〃I don't like the kind of thing at all；〃 said Mr。 Damer； who was very
serious upon the subject。 〃You see the position in which I am placed。
I am forced to be very rude； or〃
〃I don't call it rude at all。〃
〃Disobliging； then； or else I must have all my comfort invaded and
pleasure destroyed by； by； by〃 And Mr。 Damer paused； being at a loss
for an appropriate name for Miss Dawkins。
〃By an unprotected female；〃 suggested Mr。 Ingram。
〃Yes； just so。 I am as fond of pleasant company as anybody； but then I
like to choose it myself。〃
〃So do I；〃 said Mr。 Ingram； thinking of his own choice。
〃Now； Ingram； if you would join us； we should be delighted。〃
〃Upon my word； sir； the offer is too flattering；〃 said Ingram；
hesitatingly； for he felt that he could not undertake such a journey
until Mr。 Damer knew on what terms he stood with Fanny。
〃You are a terrible democrat；〃 said Mr。 Damer； laughing； 〃but then； on
that matter； you know； we could agree to differ。〃
〃Exactly so；〃 said Mr。 Ingram； who had not collected his thoughts or
made up his mind as to what he had better say and do； on the spur of
the moment。
〃Well； what do you say to it？〃 said Mr。 Damer； encouragingly。 But
Ingram paused before he answered。
〃For Heaven's sake； my dear fellow； don't have the slightest hesitation
in refusing； if you don't like the plan。〃
〃The fact is； Mr。 Damer； I should like it too well。〃
〃Like it too well？〃
〃Yes； sir； and I may as well tell you now as later。 I had intended
this evening to have asked for your permission to address your
daughter。〃
〃God bless my soul！〃 said Mr。 Damer； looking as though a totally new
idea had now been opened to him。
〃And under these circumstances； I will now wait and see whether or no
you will renew your offer。〃
〃God bless my soul！〃 said Mr。 Damer； again。 It often does strike an
old gentleman as very odd that any man should fall in love with his
daughter； whom he has not ceased to look upon as a child。 The case is
generally quite different with mothers。 They seem to think that every
young man must fall in love with their girls。
〃And have you said anything to Fanny about this？〃 asked Mr。 Damer。
〃Yes； sir； I have her permission to speak to you。〃
〃God bless my soul！〃 said Mr。 Damer； and by this time they had arrived
at Shepheard's Hotel。
〃Oh； mamma；〃 said Fanny； as soon as she found herself alone with her
mother that evening； 〃I have something that I must tell you。〃
〃Oh； Fanny； don't tell me anything to…night； for I am a great deal too
tired to listen。〃
〃But oh； mamma； pray；you must listen to this； indeed you must。〃 And
Fanny knelt down at her mother's knee； and looked beseechingly up into
her face。
〃What is it； Fanny？ You know that all my bones are sore； and I am so
tired that I am almost dead。〃
〃Mamma； Mr。 Ingram has〃
〃Has what； my dear？ has he done anything wrong？〃
〃No； mamma： but he has；he has proposed to me。〃 And Fanny； bursting
into tears； hid her face in her mother's lap。
And thus the story was told on both sides of the house。 On the next
day； as a matter of course； all the difficulties and dangers of such a
marriage as that which was now projected were insisted on by both
father and mother。 It was improper； it would cause a severing of the
family not to be thought of； it would be an alliance of a dangerous
nature； and not at all calculated to insure happiness； and； in short；
it was impossible。 On that day； therefore； they all went to bed very
unhappy。 But on the next day； as was also a matter of course； seeing
that there were no pecuniary difficulties； the mother and father were
talked over； and Mr。 Ingram was accepted as a son…in…law。 It need
hardly be said that the offer of a place in Mr。 Damer's boat was again
made； and that on this occasion it was accepted without hesitation。
There was an American Protestant clergyman resident in Cairo； with
whom； among other persons； Miss Dawkins had become acquainted。 Upon
this gentleman or upon his wife Miss Dawkins called a few days after
the journey to the Pyramid； and finding him in his study； thus
performed her duty to her neighbour； …
〃You know your countryman Mr。 Ingram； I think？〃 said she。
〃Oh； yes； very intimately。〃
〃If you have any regard for him； Mr。 Burton；〃 such was the gentleman's
name； 〃I think you should put him on his guard。〃
〃On his guard against what？〃 said Mr。 Burton with a serious air； for
there was something serious in the threat of impending misfortune as
conveyed by Miss Dawkins。
〃Why；〃 said she； 〃those Damers； I fear； are dangerous people。〃
〃Do you mean that they will borrow money of him？〃
〃Oh； no； not that； exactly； but they are clearly setting their cap at
him。〃
〃Setting their cap at him？〃
〃Yes； there is a daughter； you know； a little chit of a thing； and I
fear Mr。 Ingram may be caught before he knows where he is。 It would be
such a pity； you know。 He is going up the river with them； I hear。
That； in his place； is very foolish。 They asked me； but I positively
refused。〃
Mr。 Burton remarked that 〃In such a matter as that Mr。 Ingram would be
perfectly able to take care of himself。〃
〃Well； perhaps so； but seeing what was going on； I thought it my duty
to tell you。〃 And so Miss Dawkins took her leave。
Mr。 Ingram did go up the Nile with the Damers； as did an old friend of
the Damers who arrived from England。 And a very pleasant trip they had
of it。 And； as far as the present historian knows； the two lovers were
shortly afterwards married in England。
Poor Miss Dawkins was left in Cairo for some time on her beam ends。
But she was one of those who are not easily vanquished。 After an
interval of ten days she made acquaintance with an Irish familyhaving
utterly failed in moving the hard heart of M。 Delabordeauand with
these she proceeded to Constantinople。 They consisted of two brothers
and a sister； and were； therefore； very convenient for matrimonial
purposes。 But nevertheless； when I last heard of Miss Dawkins； she was
still an unprotected female。
End