ainst Justice and Providence."

Randal winced, and felt as if an arrow had grazed his heart; but he soon
recovered.

"And indeed there is another vague rumour that the young lady in
question is married already--to some Englishman." This time it was
Harley who winced. "Good heavens! that cannot be true,--that would
undo all! An Englishman just at this moment! But some Englishman of
correspondent rank I trust, or at least one known for opinions opposed
to what an Austrian would call Revolutionary doctrines?"

"I know nothing. But it was supposed merely a private gentleman of
good family. Would not that suffice? Can the Austrian Court dictate a
marriage to the daughter as a condition for grace to the father?"

"No,--not that!" said Harley, greatly disturbed. "But put yourself in
the position of any minister to one of the great European monarchies.
Suppose a political insurgent, formidable for station and wealth, had
been proscribed, much interest made on his behalf, a powerful party
striving against it; and just when the minister is disposed to relent,
he hears that the heiress to this wealth and this station is married
to the native of a country in which sentiments friendly to the
very opinions for which the insurgent was proscribed are popularly
entertained, and thus that the fortune to be restored may be so
employed as to disturb the national security, the existing order of
things,--this, too, at the very time when a popular revolution has just
occurred in France, and its effects are felt most in the very land of
the exile;--suppose all this, and then say if anything could be more
untoward for the hopes of the banished man, or furnish his adversaries
with stronger arguments against the restoration of his fortune? But
pshaw! this must be a chimera! If true, I should have known of it."

[As there have been so many revolutions in France, it may be
convenient to suggest that, according to the dates of this story,
Harley no doubt alludes to that revolution which exiled Charles X.
and placed Louis Philippe on the throne.]

"I quite agree with your lordship,--there can be no truth in such a
rumour. Some Englishman, hearing, perhaps, of the probable pardon of the
exile, may have counted on an heiress, and spread the report in order to
keep off other candidates. By your account, if successful in his suit,
he might fail to find an heiress in the bride."

"No doubt of that. Whatever might be arranged, I can't co