They say
he is the most eccentric person in the world. Is he so?'

'I never heard much in his favour,' said Mr. Ferrers. 'I believe he has
made himself a great fool, as most young nobles do.'

'Well, I have heard very extraordinary things of him,' said the Consul.
'He is a great traveller, at all events, which I think a circumstance in
every man's favour.'

'And then he has been a guerilla chieftain,' said Miss Ponsonby; 'and a
Bedouin robber, and--I hardly know what else; but Colonel Garth, who was
here last summer, told us the most miraculous tales of his lordship.'

'Affectations!' said Mr. Ferrers, with a sneer. 'Bohun, however, has
some excuses for his folly: for he was an orphan, I believe, in his
cradle.'

'Is he clever?' inquired Miss Ponsonby.

'Colonel Garth is a much better judge than I am,' replied Mr. Ferrers.
'I confess I have no taste for guerilla chieftains, or Bedouin robbers.
I am not at all romantic.'

And here he attracted her attention to what he called an attempt at a
bull-fight; the conversation dropped, and Lord Bohun was forgotten.

A fortnight passed away, and Mr. Ferrers was still a visitant of our
Mediterranean isle. His intimacy with the Consul and his daughter
remained on the same footing. Every evening he paid them a visit; and
every evening, when he had retired, the major and his daughter agreed
that he was a most agreeable person, though rather odd; the worthy
Consul always adding his regret that he would not dine with him, and his
wonder as to what Ferrers he was.

Now, it so happened that it was a royal birthday; and the bishop, and
several of the leading persons of the town, had agreed to partake of
the hospitality of the British Consul. The major was anxious that Mr.
Ferrers should meet them. He discussed this important point with his
daughter.

'My darling, I don't like to ask him: he really is such a very odd man.
The moment you ask him to dinner, he looks as if you had offered him an
insult. Shall we send him a formal invitation? I wonder what Ferrers he
is? I should be gratified if he would dine with us. Besides, he would
see something of our native society here, which is amusing. What shall
we do?'

'I will ask him,' replied Miss Ponsonby. 'I don't think he could refuse
me.'

'I am sure I could not,' replied the major, smiling.

And so Miss Ponsonby seized an opportunity of telling Mr. Ferrers that
she had a favour to ask him. He was more fortunate than he imagi