e injurious to me. If, however, you won't
believe me, you can go and ask. At any rate, don't meddle
with the guano. We should lose over L1000 each of us, if
you were to do so. By George, a man should neither marry,
nor leave London for a day, if he has to do with a fellow
so nervous as you are. As it is I think I shall be back
a week or two before my time is properly up, lest you
and one or two others should think that I have levanted
altogether.

I have no hesitation in saying that more fortunes are lost
in business by trembling cowardice than by any amount of
imprudence or extravagance. My hair stands on end when you
talk of parting with guano in December because there are
bills which have to be met in February. Pluck up your
heart, man, and look around, and see what is done by men
with good courage.

Yours always,

FERDINAND LOPEZ.

These were the only communications between our married couple and
their friends at home with which I need trouble my readers. Nor need
I tell any further tales of their honeymoon. If the time was not one
of complete and unalloyed joy to Emily,--and we must fear that it
was not,--it is to be remembered that but very little complete and
unalloyed joy is allowed to sojourners in this vale of tears, even
though they have been but two months married. In the first week in
February they appeared in the Belgrave mansion, and Emily Lopez took
possession of her new home with a heart as full of love for her
husband as it had been when she walked out of the church in Vere
Street, though it may be that some of her sweetest illusions had
already been dispelled.

CHAPTER XXVII

The Duke's Misery

We must go back for a while to Gatherum Castle and see the guests
whom the Duchess had collected there for her Christmas festivities.
The hospitality of the Duke's house had been maintained almost
throughout the autumn. Just at the end of October they went to
Matching, for what the Duchess called a quiet month,--which, however,
at the Duke's urgent request became six weeks. But even here the
house was full all the time, though from deficiency of bedrooms the
guests were very much less numerous. But at Matching the Duchess had
been uneasy and almost cross. Mrs. Finn had gone with her husband to
Ireland, and she had taught herself to fancy that she could not live
without Mrs. Finn. And her husband had insisted upon having round
him politici