glass of punch Scipio had brought in, Doctor
Courtenay and I joining him with a will.

"I pray you go on, sir," I said to the doctor.

"A pest on your impatience!" replied he; "I begin to think you are in
love with her yourself."

"To be sure he is," said Comyn; "he had lost my esteem and he were not."

The doctor gave me an odd look. I was red enough, indeed.

"'I could say naught, my dear Courtenay, to induce her to believe that
his Grace's indiscretions arose from the wildness of youth. And I pass
over the injustice she hath unwittingly done me, whose only efforts are
for her bettering. The end of it all was that I must needs post back
to the duke, who was stamping with impatience up and down, and drinking
Burgundy. I am sure I meant him no offence, but told him in as many
words, that my daughter had refused him. And, will you believe me,
sir? He took occasion to insult me (I cannot with propriety repeat his
speech), and he flung a bottle after me as I passed out the door. Was he
not far gone in wine at the time, I assure you I had called him out for
it.'"

"And, gentlemen," said the doctor, when our merriment was somewhat
spent, "I'll lay a pipe of the best Madeira, that our little fool never
knows the figure he has cut with his Grace."

CHAPTER XVI. IN WHICH SOME THINGS ARE MADE CLEAR

The Thunderer weighed the next day, Saturday, while I was still upon
my back, and Comyn sailed with her. Not, however, before I had seen
him again. Our affection was such as comes not often to those who drift
together to part. And he left me that sword with the jewelled hilt, that
hangs above my study fire, which he had bought in Toledo. He told me
that he was heartily sick of the navy; that he had entered only in
respect for a wish of his father's, the late Admiral Lord Comyn, and
that the Thunderer was to sail for New York, where he looked for a
release from his commission, and whence he would return to England. He
would carry any messages to Miss Manners that I chose to send. But
I could think of none, save to beg him to remind her that she was
constantly in my thoughts. He promised me, roguishly enough, that he
would have thought of a better than that by the time he sighted Cape
Clear. And were I ever to come to London he would put me up at Brooks's
Club, and warrant me a better time and more friends than ever had a
Caribbee who came home on a visit.

My grandfather kept his word in regard to Mr. Allen, and on Sun