elf; but it is
idle now to speak of her."

"No, no," exclaimed Violante. "Tell me where she lives--I will see her."

"Pardon me, I cannot obey you; and, indeed, her own pride is now aroused
by your father's unfortunate prejudices against her. It is too late to
count upon her aid. You turn from me,--my presence is unwelcome. I rid
you of it now. But welcome or unwelcome, later you must endure it--and
for life."

Randal again bowed with formal ceremony, walked towards the house, and
asked for Lady Lansmere. The countess was at home. Randal delivered
Riccabocca's note, which was very short, implying that he feared
Peschiera had discovered his retreat, and requesting Lady Lansmere to
retain Violante, whatever her own desire, till her ladyship heard from
him again.

The countess read, and her lip curled in disdain. "Strange!" said she,
half to herself.

"Strange!" said Randal, "that a man like your correspondent should fear
one like the Count di Peschiera. Is that it?"

"Sir," said the countess, a little surprised, "strange that any man
should fear another in a country like ours!"

"I don't know," said Randal, with his low soft laugh; "I fear many men,
and I know many who ought to fear me; yet at every turn of the street
one meets a policeman!"

"Yes," said Lady Lansmere. "But to suppose that this profligate
foreigner could carry away a girl like Violante against her will,--a man
she has never seen, and whom she must have been taught to hate!"

"Be on your guard, nevertheless, I pray you, madam; 'Where there's a
will there's a way'!"

Randal took his leave, and returned to Madame di Negra's. He stayed with
her an hour, revisited the count, and then strolled to Limmer's.

"Randal," said the squire, who looked pale and worn, but who scorned
to confess the weakness with which he still grieved and yearned for his
rebellious son, "Randal, you have nothing now to do in London; can you
come and stay with me, and take to farming? I remember that you showed a
good deal of sound knowledge about thin sowing."

"My dear sir, I will come to you as soon as the general election is
over."

"What the deuce have you got to do with the general election?"

"Mr. Egerton has some wish that I should enter parliament; indeed,
negotiations for that purpose are now on foot."

The squire shook his head. "I don't like my half-brother's politics."

"I shall be quite independent of them," cried Randal, loftily; "that
independence is