"Hush!" said I. "Walls love lovers. Have pity and don't
undeceive them. It'd break the poor old fellows' hearts. That
one's looking rather black already.

"She laughed in spite of herself. Then:

"But they haven't got any hearts to break."

"Of course they have. The best in the world, too. Hearts of
oak. Now you must make up for it. Come along." I altered my
tone. "Chaste and beautiful one, dost thou realize that at this
rate we shall reach Gretna next Tuesday week?"

"So soon, Jack?"- languishingly.

"Glorious," said I: "that is, aye, mistress. Remember, I have
six spare axles disguised as golf clubs."

"But what of my father? His grey hairs- "

"When I last saw thine aged sire, pipkin, three postboys were
engaged in sawing him out of a window, through which he should
never have attempted to climb. The angle of his chaise suggested
that one of the hind wheels was, to put it mildly, somewhat out
of the true. The fact that, before we started, I myself withdrew
its linchpin goes to support this theory."

"My poor father! Master Adam, I almost find it in my heart to
hate you."