Thiswasthebeginningofanintimacywhichsoondisplacedallceremony。Itwasverypleasanttogointhereafterdinner，eventositwiththecoloneloverhisclaret，andhearmorestoriesaboutBingo;forafterwardIcouldgointotheprettydrawing-roomandtakemyteafromLilian’shands，andlistenwhilesheplayedSchuberttousinthesummertwilight。
Thepoodlewasalwaysintheway，tobesure，butevenhisuglyblackheadseemedtolosesomeofitsuglinessandferocitywhenLilianlaidherprettyhandonit。
Onthewhole，IthinkthattheCurriefamilywerewelldisposedtowardme，thecolonelconsideringmeasaharmlessspecimenoftheaverageeligibleyoungman，——whichIcertainlywas，——andMrs。Currieshowingmefavourformymother’ssake，forwhomshehadtakenastrongliking。
AsforLilian，IbelievedIsawthatshesoonsuspectedthestateofmyfeelingstowardher，andwasnotdispleasedbyit。IlookedforwardwithsomehopefulnesstoadaywhenIcoulddeclaremyselfwithnofearofarepulse。
ButitwasaseriousobstacleinmypaththatIcouldnotsecureBingo’sgoodopiniononanyterms。Thefamilywouldoftenlamentthispatheticallythemselves。\"Yousee，\"Mrs。Curriewouldobserveinapology，\"Bingoisadogthatdoesnotattachhimselfeasilytostrangers\"——though，forthatmatter，Ithoughthewasunpleasantlyreadytoattachhimselfto/me/。