advantageous post. I owe this advancement in part to the kind offices of Lord Roxwell, who was formerly much attached to my father; and I have every reason to expect that it will lead, should I acquit myself creditably, to more rapid promotion than has hitherto seemed probable."
"I am sure you will acquit yourself admirably, and must beg leave to congratulate you on your good fortune. I collect that you are to join one of our embassies?"
"Yes, sir. I am appointed—that is to say, I shall, within the next three months be appointed to the staff of our minister at the Court of the Regent of Portugal."
"The Regent of Portugal?" repeated Cardross. "But he is in Brazil!"
Mr. Allandale inclined his head. "Just so, sir," he agreed.
"Good God!" ejaculated Cardross. "Were you proposing in all seriousness to take Letty to South America? You must be mad!"
"She assures me," said Mr. Allandale earnestly, "that she would like it above all things."
"And what the devil do you imagine she knows about it?" demanded Cardross.
"I am credibly informed," offered Mr. Allandale, "that the climate at Rio de Janeiro is salubrious."
"Oh, take a damper!" said Cardross impatiently. "Did this cork-brained notion come out of your head, or hers? Did she persuade you to come here today, or— No, of course she did! You at least cannot have supposed that there was the least likelihood of my consenting to such a preposterous scheme!"
"No," said Mr. Allandale. "I must own that I had little hope of obtaining your lordship's consent. I am aware that in your eyes the scheme must seem preposterous."
"And how does it seem in yours?" inquired the Earl curiously. "You have been acquainted with my sister for more than a year, after all!"
"Were it not for your lordship's refusal to entertain my proposal, I should have no hesitation in asking Lady Letitia to accompany me, as my wife, to Brazil."
"The devil you wouldn't!"
"I believe her to be equal to anything," said Mr. Allandale reverently. "When I first learned of the appointment, I confess that the very natural feeling of delight I experienced was instantly tempered—I might almost say dissipated—by the same doubt of which your lordship is conscious. I could not believe that a delicately nurtured female—and one, moreover, of such tender years—could contemplate without dismay the several evils attaching to the appointment. The discomforts of a long sea-voyage! the going amongst foreigners! The separation from her relations! I promise you, sir, every disagreeable possibility that presented itself to my mind was at once communicated to her by me. But nothing was ever like her spirit! What inconveniences there may be she will not regard; and although I do not anticipate that there is any danger to be apprehended, that she would meet with the same trust and courage which she shows in being willing to bestow her hand upon one whose prosperity must depend upon his own exertions!"
The thought of this nobility overcame him so much that his voice thickened, and he was obliged to blow his nose. Its effect upon Cardross was to exasperate him into saying, with a snap: "I suppose she told you so!"
"Yes," replied Mr. Allandale simply.
"Did she also work on you to come here today with your fantastic proposal?"
"She certainly thought that with my advancement now secured we might hope for some relenting on your part," admitted Mr. Allandale.
The Earl looked him over somewhat grimly. "But you did not think so, Mr. Allandale, did you?"
"Well—"
"It appears to me, my dear sir, that you are as wax in my sister's hands! It is a reflection which fills me with deep misgiving. I know Letty to be as headstrong as she is bird-witted, and what she may next bully or bewitch you into doing there is no saying—though I might hazard a guess!"
"If you mean, sir, that I might be tempted to elope with Lady Letitia you may be easy!" returned Mr. Allandale, reddening. "Even if I were not a man of honour, my circumstances must
"I am sure you will acquit yourself admirably, and must beg leave to congratulate you on your good fortune. I collect that you are to join one of our embassies?"
"Yes, sir. I am appointed—that is to say, I shall, within the next three months be appointed to the staff of our minister at the Court of the Regent of Portugal."
"The Regent of Portugal?" repeated Cardross. "But he is in Brazil!"
Mr. Allandale inclined his head. "Just so, sir," he agreed.
"Good God!" ejaculated Cardross. "Were you proposing in all seriousness to take Letty to South America? You must be mad!"
"She assures me," said Mr. Allandale earnestly, "that she would like it above all things."
"And what the devil do you imagine she knows about it?" demanded Cardross.
"I am credibly informed," offered Mr. Allandale, "that the climate at Rio de Janeiro is salubrious."
"Oh, take a damper!" said Cardross impatiently. "Did this cork-brained notion come out of your head, or hers? Did she persuade you to come here today, or— No, of course she did! You at least cannot have supposed that there was the least likelihood of my consenting to such a preposterous scheme!"
"No," said Mr. Allandale. "I must own that I had little hope of obtaining your lordship's consent. I am aware that in your eyes the scheme must seem preposterous."
"And how does it seem in yours?" inquired the Earl curiously. "You have been acquainted with my sister for more than a year, after all!"
"Were it not for your lordship's refusal to entertain my proposal, I should have no hesitation in asking Lady Letitia to accompany me, as my wife, to Brazil."
"The devil you wouldn't!"
"I believe her to be equal to anything," said Mr. Allandale reverently. "When I first learned of the appointment, I confess that the very natural feeling of delight I experienced was instantly tempered—I might almost say dissipated—by the same doubt of which your lordship is conscious. I could not believe that a delicately nurtured female—and one, moreover, of such tender years—could contemplate without dismay the several evils attaching to the appointment. The discomforts of a long sea-voyage! the going amongst foreigners! The separation from her relations! I promise you, sir, every disagreeable possibility that presented itself to my mind was at once communicated to her by me. But nothing was ever like her spirit! What inconveniences there may be she will not regard; and although I do not anticipate that there is any danger to be apprehended, that she would meet with the same trust and courage which she shows in being willing to bestow her hand upon one whose prosperity must depend upon his own exertions!"
The thought of this nobility overcame him so much that his voice thickened, and he was obliged to blow his nose. Its effect upon Cardross was to exasperate him into saying, with a snap: "I suppose she told you so!"
"Yes," replied Mr. Allandale simply.
"Did she also work on you to come here today with your fantastic proposal?"
"She certainly thought that with my advancement now secured we might hope for some relenting on your part," admitted Mr. Allandale.
The Earl looked him over somewhat grimly. "But you did not think so, Mr. Allandale, did you?"
"Well—"
"It appears to me, my dear sir, that you are as wax in my sister's hands! It is a reflection which fills me with deep misgiving. I know Letty to be as headstrong as she is bird-witted, and what she may next bully or bewitch you into doing there is no saying—though I might hazard a guess!"
"If you mean, sir, that I might be tempted to elope with Lady Letitia you may be easy!" returned Mr. Allandale, reddening. "Even if I were not a man of honour, my circumstances must
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