Thus far Eve, defending her brother.  And with this piece of shrewdness she did a little more for him than she intended or was conscious of; for Talboys, either by feeble calculation or instinct of petty rivalry, constantly sneered at David before Lucy; David never mentioned Talboys’ name to her.  Now superior ignores, inferior detracts.  Thus Talboys lowered himself and rather elevated David; moreover, he counteracted his own strongest weapon, the street door.  After putting David out of sight, this judicious rival could not let him fade out of mind too; he found means to stimulate the lady’s memory, and, as far as in him lay, made the absent present.  May all my foes unweave their webs as cleverly!  David knew nothing of this.  He saw himself shut out from Paradise, and he was sad.  He felt the loss of Arthur too.  The orphan had been medicine to him.  When a man is absorbed in a hopeless passion, to be employed every day in a good action has a magical soothing influence on the racked heart.  Try this instead of suicide, despairing lover.  It is a quack remedy; no M. D. prescribes it.  Never you mind; in desperate ills a little cure is worth a deal of etiquette.  Poor David had lost this innocent comfort—­lost, too, the pleasure of going every day to the house she lived in.  To be sure, when he used to go he seldom caught a glimpse of her, but he did now and then, and always enjoyed the hope.

“I see how it is,” said he to Eve one day; “I am not welcome to the master of the house.  Well, he is the master; I shall not force my way where I am not welcome”; but after these spirited words he hung his head.

“Oh, nonsense,” said Eve.  “It isn’t him.  There are mischief-makers behind.”

“Ay? just you tell me who they are.  I’ll teach them to come across my hawse”; and David’s eyes flashed.

“Don’t you be silly,” said Eve, and turned it off; “and don’t be so downhearted.  Why, you are not half a man.”

“No more I am, Eve.  What has come to me?”

“What, indeed? just when everything goes swimmingly.”

“Eve, how can you say so?”

“Why, David, she leaves this in a few days for Mrs. Bazalgette’s house.  You tell me you have got a warm invitation there.  Then make the play there, and, if you can’t win her, say you don’t deserve her, twiddle your thumb, and see a bolder lover carry her off.  You foolish boy, she is only a woman; she is to be won.  If you don’t mind, some man will show you it was as easy as you think it is hard.  Timid wooers make a mountain of a mole-hill.”

“Why, it is you who have kept me backing and filling all this time, Eve.”

“Of course.  Prudence at first starting, but that isn’t to say courage is never to come in.  First creep within the fortification wall; but, once inside, if you don’t storm the city that minute, woe be unto you.  Come, cheer up! it is only for a few days, and then she goes where you will have her all to yourself; besides, you shall have one sweet delicious evening with her all alone before she goes.  What! have you forgotten the pedigree?  Wasn’t I right to keep that back? and now march and take a good long walk.”