Part 57 (1/2)

The captain echoed her, 'Half! but happy enough for twenty whole ones, if you'll be satisfied, my duck'

Julia piteously entreated me, for my future wife's sake, not to take service under Government As for the Admiralty, she said, it had no characteristic but the abominable one, that it hated a woman The squire laid two or three moderately coarse traps for the voluble frank creature, which she evaded with surprising neatness, showing herself ined her Janet and I fancied she must have come with the intention to act uxorious husband and Irish wife for the distinct purpose of diverting the squire's wrath froht of merry wedded pairs But they were as simple as possible in their display of happiness

It chanced that they came opportunely My bankers' book had been the the one to land, my father had drawn nine thousand pounds The su our absence on the Continent reached the perplexing figures of forty-eight thousand I knew it too likely, besides, that all debts were not paid Self--self--self drew for thousands at a tier indicated, for many thousands within a week It was incomprehensible to him until I, driven at bay by questions and insults, and perceiving that conceal be practised,him (what he in fact must have seen) that my father possessed a cheque-book as well as I, and likewise drew upon the account We had required the money; it was ave very poor interest, I remarked cursorily-and had kept theto our necessities I pitied the old e died fros explained to hiht of doing when this one: for he supposed I did not expect the saiven him no more than a couple of years' lease of life when I started for one!' he su explanations Had he not treatedover my own to me on the day of my majority? Yes

'And like a fool, you think--eh?'

'I have no such thought inthat fellow in his profligacy, and you 're keeping hiar! Cohter, row up to lay hold of her rips hiared--d 'ye know that? He's had the two years of you, and sucked you dry What were you about? What were you doing? Did you have your head on? You shared cheque-books? good!

The devil in hell never found such a fool as you! You had your house full of your foreign bonyrobers--eh? Out with it! How did you pass your tirandfather worked hiiven a faint specimen of it When I took the liberty to consider that I had heard enough, he followed me out of the library into the hall, where Janet stood In her presence, he charged the princess and her fareedy adventurers, conspirators with 'that fellow' to plunder me; and for a proof of it, he quoted my words, thatof a coal- to irl see it was a shuffle to hoodwink a greenhorn? And now he rehter who had told hi Court-buffoon to a petty Ger capers like a clown at a fair

'Shame!' said Janet

'Hear her!' The squire turned to randada, hear yourself! or don't, be silent If Harry has offended you, speak like one gentleman to another Don't rob me of my love for you: I haven't much besides that'

'No, because of a scoundrel and his young idiot!'

Janet frowned in earnest, and said: 'I don't per of the words I speak'

He muttered a proverb of the stables Reduced to behave tean the whole history of my bankers' book anew--the same queries, the same explosions and imprecations

'Come for a ith me, dear Harry,' said Janet

I declined to be protected in such a ether possibly with soht the squire to a clio down on your knees to her and beg her to give you her arm for a walk By God! you shall, now, here, on the spot, or off you go to your Ger ood-bye and the door bolted Noith you!'

He expected me to descend

'And if he did, he would never have littered hard on the squire

'Before that rascal dies, ar out in the cold for the tips of your fingers!'

'Not if he asks ain He realized her prospective generosity, and contrasted it with ed her tactics She assumed indifference But she wanted experience, and a Heriot to help her in playing a part She did it badly--overdid it; so that the old ainst his sche us, counted my iniquity as twofold Her phrase, 'Harry and I will always be friends,' roused the loudest of his denunciations upon h there never had been question of the princess, so inveterate was hisfriends give him heirs by law to his estate and name? And so forth My aunt Dorothy came to moderate his invectives In her rooures was produced, and the items read aloud; and her task was to hear them without astonishment, but with a business-like desire to comprehend them accurately, a rees She threw out hasty running co at the Court of a prince'; such and such a surandfather did not wish him to make a poor appearance'

'Why, do you mean to swear to me, on your oath, Dorothy Beltham,' said the squire, amazed at the small amazement he created 'you think these two fellows have been spending within the right in? What'll be women's ideas next!'

'No,' she answered deant, and has had his lesson And surely it is better now than later? But you are, notallowances for his situation as the betrothed of a princess'

'That 's what turns your head,' said he; and she allowed him to have the notion, and sneer at herself and her sex

'How about this money drawn since he came home?' the squire persisted

My aunt Dorothy reddened He struck his finger on the linehis demand; and at this moment Captain Bulsted and Julia arrived The ladies manoeuvred so that the captain and the squire were left alone together Soed his wife's pere, and requestedhis wife to Bulsted: proof, as Julia said, that the tere engaged in a pretty hot tussle She was sure her William would not be the one to be beaten

I led her away, rather depressed by the autoned to me; from which condition I aith a touch of horror to findher very war to cheer me, and her voice eet We reached a point in our conversation I know not where, but I uess,' said she, 'what Willia in re away from me on your account'; and thus, in an instant, with a skill so intuitive as to be alht sense of , whether a love that clad me in such iraces--a plu red lips--could indeed be absolute love And if it was not love of the iht like the shi+p on its furrow through the waters, and saw every mortal perplexity, and death under My love of Ottilia delusion? Then life was delusion! I conteht fair witches were looked on when the faggots were piled for them The sense of her unholy attractions abased and eness of ard of Mdlle