. . . . I say if it should happen that the lady .
. . . and indeed I am not one to press a suit: but if she who
distinguishes and honours me should chance to be wealthy, all I can do is
to leave her wealth at her disposal, and that I do: I do that
unreservedly. I feel I am very confused, alarmingly confused. Your
ladyship merits a superior . . . I trust I have not . . . I am entirely
at your ladyship's mercy.'

'Are you prepared, if your daughter is asked in marriage, to settle ten
thousand pounds on her, General Ople?'

The General collected himself. In his heart he thoroughly appreciated the
moral beauty of Lady Camper's extreme solicitude on behalf of his
daughter's provision; but he would have desired a postponement of that
and other material questions belonging to a distant future until his own
fate was decided.

So he said: 'Your ladyship's generosity is very marked. I say it is very
marked.'

'How, my good General Ople! how is it marked in any degree?' cried Lady
Camper. 'I am not generous. I don't pretend to be; and certainly I don't
want the young people to think me so. I want to be just. I have assumed
that you intend to be the same. Then will you do me the favour to reply
to me?'

The General smiled winningly and intently, to show her that he prized
her, and would not let her escape his eulogies.

'Marked, in this way, dear madam, that you think of my daughter's future
more than I. I say, more than her father himself does. I know I ought to
speak more warmly, I feel warmly. I was never an eloquent man, and if you
take me as a soldier, I am, as, I have ever been in the service, I was
saying I am Wilson Ople, of the grade of General, to be relied on for
executing orders; and, madam, you are Lady Camper, and you command me. I
cannot be more precise. In fact, it is the feeling of the necessity for
keeping close to the business that destroys what I would say. I am in
fact lamentably incompetent to conduct my own case.'

Lady Camper left her chair.

'Dear me, this is very strange, unless I am singularly in error,' she
said.

The General now faintly guessed that he might be in error, for his part.

But he had burned his ships, blown up his bridges; retreat could not be
thought of.

He stood, his head bent and appealing to her sideface, like one
pleadingly in pursuit, and very deferentially, with a courteous
vehemence, he entreated first her ladyship's pardon for his presumption,
and then the gift of h