-an
impulse liable to every caprice. Can you suppose that when she launches
into the extravagance natural to her age and necessary to her position,
she will not find a thousand demands upon her rent-roll not dreamed of
now; a thousand vanities and baubles that will soon erase my poor and
hollow claim from her recollection? Can you suppose that, if she marry
another, her husband will ever consent to a child's romance? And
even were all this possible, were it possible that girls were not
extravagant, and that husbands had no common-sense, is it for me, Lord
Vargrave, to be a mendicant upon reluctant bounty,--a poor cousin, a
pensioned led-captain? Heaven knows I have as little false pride as
any man, but still this is a degradation I cannot stoop to. Besides,
Caroline, I am no miser, no Harpagon: I do not want wealth for wealth's
sake, but for the advantages it bestows,--respect, honour, position; and
these I get as the husband of the great heiress. Should I get them as
her dependant? No: for more than six years I have built my schemes and
shaped my conduct according to one assured and definite object; and that
object I shall not now, at the eleventh hour, let slip from my hands.
Enough of this: you will pass Brook-Green in returning from Cornwall;
you will take Evelyn with you to Paris,--leave the rest to me. Fear no
folly, no violence, from my plans, whatever they may be: I work in
the dark. Nor do I despair that Evelyn will love, that Evelyn will
voluntarily accept me yet: my disposition is sanguine; I look to the
bright side of things; do the same!"

Here their conference was interrupted by Lord Doltimore, who lounged
carelessly into the room, with his hat on one side. "Ah, Vargrave, how
are you? You will not forget the letters of introduction? Where are you
going, Caroline?"

"Only to my own room, to put on my bonnet; the carriage will be here in
a few minutes." And Caroline escaped.

"So you go to Cornwall to-morrow, Doltimore?"

"Yes; cursed bore! but Lady Elizabeth insists on seeing us, and I don't
object to a week's good shooting. The old lady, too, has something to
leave, and Caroline had no dowry,--not that I care for it; but still
marriage is expensive."

"By the by, you will want the five thousand pounds you lent me?"

"Why, whenever it is convenient."

"Say no more,--it shall be seen to. Doltimore, I am very anxious that
Lady Doltimore's _debut_ at Paris should be brilliant: everything
depends on fa