er, with tears rising to his kind eyes.

"I have just told you, because I was a ruined man," said the marquis with
mournful dignity.

"'A ruined man?'" echoed the banker, with almost angry earnestness.
"_I_ know that you are _not_ a ruined man! And you know, even
better than I do, because you have more brains than I have; YOU
know that no young man, sound in body and sound in mind, can be ruined
by any financial calamity that can fall upon him. You love my daughter,
you say. Well, then, you have my authority to ask her to be your wife.
There, what do you say?"

The young marquis sat down and covered his face with his hand for one
thoughtful moment, and then replied:

"This is a happiness so unexpected that it seems unreal. Sir Lemuel, do
you really appreciate the fact that I am a man without a shilling that
I do not earn by my labor?"

"I really appreciate the fact, and most highly appreciate the fact that
you are Marquis of Arondelle, and to be Duke of Hereward--and that you
are personally as noble in nature as you are fortunately noble in
descent. And although my first motive in favoring this marriage is the
pure desire for yours and for my daughter's happiness, still I assure
you, my lord, I am keenly alive to its eligibility in a mere worldly
point of view. Your ancient historical title is, (to speak as a man of
the world,) much more than an equivalent for my daughter's expectations.
But it is not, as I said before, as a highly eligible, conventional
marriage that I most desire it, but as a marriage that I feel sure will
secure the happiness of yourself and my daughter, whom I shall,
nevertheless, be very proud to see, some day, Duchess of Hereward.
Come, now, I never saw a gallant young man hesitate so long. I shall grow
angry presently."

"Sir Lemuel," said the marquis, with some irrepressible emotion, "were
I now really the Duke of Hereward, and the owner of Lone, and were your
lovely daughter as dowerless as I am penniless at this moment, and did
you give her to me, my deepest gratitude would be due you, and you have
it now. When may I see Miss Levison and put my fate to the test?"

"That's right. Upon my word, my boy, if I were a galvanic foreigner
instead of a staid Englishman, I should jump up and embrace you. Consider
yourself embraced. When shall you see her? We will go into the dining
room now and get a cup of tea from the ladies; after which, you shall see
her as soon and as often as you please. A