d to your eloquent exposition, I
had formed other and very erroneous ideas upon this subject. I see, now,
that I am quite unsuited to the career. The very fact that it becomes
your Lordship is evidence enough how unfitted it would prove to me."

"I will not say, that in Greece, or perhaps with some republican
government, you might not be very eligible. We'll consider about it."

"No, no, my Lord; I'll content myself with more humble fortunes. I
suppose there is always a place for every capacity; and now, to a matter
purely personal to myself, and in which, I hope, I may count upon your
kind co-operation. I have thoughts of marriage, my Lord, and as I am a
stranger in this country, unconnected with it by kindred or connection,
I would ask of you to give me that sanction and currency which the honor
of your Lordship's friendship confers. The lady upon whom I have fixed
my choice is without fortune, but of a family which traces back to
royalty, I fancy. This Irish pride of lineage, then, requires that I,
upon my side, should not be deficient in such pretensions."

"I am not a Clarencieux, nor Norroy, sir, to make out your genealogy,"
said the old peer, with ineffable disdain.

Linton had more difficulty to control his laughter than his anger at
this impertinent absurdity. "I was not thinking of 'the tree,' my Lord,
but its last and most insignificant twig, myself; and, remembering how
many kindnesses I owed you, how uniformly your patronage had befriended
me through life, I still reckon upon the feeling to serve me once more."

"Be explicit. What do you ask?" said he, leaning back and looking like a
monarch whose will was half omnipotence.

"What I should like, my Lord, is this,--that you would permit me to
drive you over some morning to the gentleman's house, where, presenting
the family to your Lordship, I might, while enjoying the sanction of
your intimacy and friendship, also obtain your opinion upon the merits
of one with whom I would link my humble destinies. I have said that the
lady has no fortune; but your Lordship has shown the noble example of
selecting for far higher and more ennobling qualities than wealth." This
was said with a spice of that subdued raillery of which Linton was a
master; and he saw, with delight, how the old peer winced under it.

"Very true, sir; your remark is just, except that the disparity between
our conditions does not give the instance the force of example; nor am I
certain the e