to run his head into
that confounded Hamley attorney's noose, Ralph gravely required Mr.
Corbet to explain his meaning, which he professed not to understand so
worded. And when the squire had, with much perplexity, put it into the
plain terms of hoping that his son was thinking of breaking off his
engagement to Miss Wilkins, Ralph coolly asked him if he was aware that,
in that case, he should lose all title to being a man of honour, and
might have an action brought against him for breach of promise?

Yet not the less for all this was the idea in his mind as a future
possibility.

Before very long the Corbet family moved _en masse_ to Stokely Castle for
the wedding. Of course, Ralph associated on equal terms with the
magnates of the county, who were the employers of Ellinor's father, and
spoke of him always as "Wilkins," just as they spoke of the butler as
"Simmons." Here, too, among a class of men high above local gossip, and
thus unaware of his engagement, he learnt the popular opinion respecting
his future father-in-law; an opinion not entirely respectful, though
intermingled with a good deal of personal liking. "Poor Wilkins," as
they called him, "was sadly extravagant for a man in his position; had no
right to spend money, and act as if he were a man of independent
fortune." His habits of life were criticised; and pity, not free from
blame, was bestowed upon him for the losses he had sustained from his
late clerk's disappearance and defalcation. But what could be expected
if a man did not choose to attend to his own business?

The wedding went by, as grand weddings do, without let or hindrance,
according to the approved pattern. A Cabinet minister honoured it with
his presence, and, being a distant relation of the Brabants, remained for
a few days after the grand occasion. During this time he became rather
intimate with Ralph Corbet; many of their tastes were in common. Ralph
took a great interest in the manner of working out political questions;
in the balance and state of parties; and had the right appreciation of
the exact qualities on which the minister piqued himself. In return, the
latter was always on the look-out for promising young men, who, either by
their capability of speech-making or article-writing, might advance the
views of his party. Recognising the powers he most valued in Ralph, he
spared no pains to attach him to his own political set. When they
separated, it was with the full unde