staken there," Honoria put in, holding her still
closer. "You were tempted to take a rather desperate way out of your
difficulties. It would have been unwise, but there was nothing wicked
in it. The wrong thing is--as Mr. Decies tells you--to marry without
love, and so make all your life a lie, by pretending to give Richard
Calmady that which you do not, and cannot, give him."

Then the young soldier broke in resolutely again.

"I tell you I asked her to go away, and I ask her again now----"

"The deuce you do!" Lord Shotover exclaimed, his sense of amusement
getting the better alike of astonishment and of personal regrets.

"Only now I ask you to sanction her going, Shotover. And I ask you"--he
turned to Miss St. Quentin--"to come with her. I am not even sure of
your name, but I know by all that you've said and done in the last
half-hour, I can be very sure of you. And, I perceive, that if you come
nobody will dare to say anything unpleasant--there'll be nothing,
indeed, to be said."

Honoria smiled. The magnificent egoism of mankind in love struck her as
distinctly diverting. Yet she had a very kindly feeling towards this
black-haired, bright-eyed, energetic, young lover. He was in deadly
earnest--to the removing even of mountains. And he had need to be so,
for that mountains immediately blocked the road to his desires was
evident even to her enthusiastic mind. She looked across compellingly
at Lord Shotover. Let him speak first. She needed time, at this
juncture, in which to arrange her ideas and to think.

"My dear good fellow," that gentleman began obediently, patting Decies
on the shoulder, "I'm all on your side. I give you my word I am, and
I've reason to believe my father will be so too. But you see, an
elopement--specially in our sort of highly respectable, humdrum
family--is rather a strong order. Upon my honour, it is, you know,
Decies. And, even though kindly countenanced by Miss St. Quentin, and
sanctioned by me, it would make a precious undesirable lot of talk. It
really is a rather irregular fashion of conducting the business you
see. And then--advice I always give others and only wish I could always
remember to take myself--it's very much best to be off with the old
love before you're on with the new."

"Yes, yes," Miss St. Quentin put in with quick decision. "Lord Shotover
has laid his finger on the heart of the matter. It is just that.--Lady
Constance's engagement to Richard Calmady must be canc