trophe even than his expectations. Lord Kilcullen continued.

"I hope, at any rate, you are satisfied with me. I have not only
implicitly obeyed your directions, but I have done everything in
my power to accomplish what you wished. Had my marriage with my
cousin been a project of my own, I could not have done more for its
accomplishment. Miss Wyndham's affections are engaged; and she will
never, I am sure, marry one man while she loves another."

"Loves another--psha!" roared the earl. "Is this to be the end of it
all? After your promises to me--after your engagement! After such an
engagement, sir, you come to me and talk about a girl loving another?
Loving another! Will her loving another pay your debts?"

"Exactly the reverse, my lord," said the son. "I fear it will
materially postpone their payment."

"Well, sir," said the earl. He did not exactly know how to commence the
thunder of indignation with which he intended to annihilate his son,
for certainly Kilcullen had done the best in his power to complete the
bargain. But still the storm could not be stayed, unreasonable as it
might be for the earl to be tempestuous on the occasion. "Well, sir,"
and he stood up from his chair, to face his victim, who was still
standing--and, thrusting his hands into his trowsers' pockets, frowned
awfully--"Well, sir; am I to be any further favoured with your plans?"

"I have none, my lord," said Kilcullen; "I am again ready to listen to
yours."

"My plans?--I have no further plans to offer for you. You are ruined,
utterly ruined: you have done your best to ruin me and your mother; I
have pointed out to you, I arranged for you, the only way in which your
affairs could be redeemed; I made every thing easy for you."

"No, my lord: you could not make it easy for me to get my cousin's
love."

"Don't contradict me, sir. I say I did. I made every thing straight
and easy for you: and now you come to me with a whining story about a
girl's love! What's her love to me, sir? Where am I to get my thirty
thousand pounds, sir?--and my note of hand is passed for as much more,
at this time twelve-month! Where am I to raise that, sir? Do you
remember that you have engaged to repay me these sums?--do you remember
that, or have such trifles escaped your recollection?"

"I remember perfectly well, my lord, that if I married my cousin,
you were to repay yourself those sums out of her fortune. But I also
remember, and so must you, that I beforeha