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"Rubbish, Jack."
"'Tis not rubbish. I have one recommendation--only one."
"Faith, have ye as much? What is it?"
My lord laughed bitterly.
"I dress rather well."
"And fence better, as far as I remember."
"I have reason to. That is but another point to damn me. What womanwould marry a fencing-master? Oh, my God! what a mess I have made of mylife." He tried to laugh and failed miserably.
"I rather fancy Mistress Di would."
"She will not be asked thus to demean herself," was the proud answer.
"My dear Jack, ye forget ye are the Earl of Wyncham."
"A pretty earl! No thank you, Miles. Richard's son will be Earl--no sonof mine."
O'Hara brought his fist down on the table with a crash.
"Damn Richard and his son!"
My lord picked up a jewelled pin and, walking to the glass, proceeded tofasten it in his cravat. The other followed him with smouldering eyes.
"Retired into your shell again?" he growled.
Carstares, with his head slightly on one side, considered the effect ofthe pin. Then he came back to his friend.
"My dear Miles, the long and short of it is that I am an unreasonablegrumbler. I made my bed, and I suppose I must-on it."
"And will ye be afther telling me who helped ye in the making of it?"
Carstares sat down and started to pull on one boot.
"I foresee we shall be at one another's throats ere long," he prophesiedcheerfully. "Did I tell you that I informed Mr. Beauleigh ofmy--er--profession to-day?"
Miles forgot his anger in surprise.
"Ye never told him ye were a highwayman?" he cried.
"Yes, I did. Why not?"
"Why not? Why wot? God help us all! are ye daft, man? Do ye intend totell every other person ye meet what ye are? Bedad, 'tis mad ye areentirely!"
Carstares sighed.
"I was afraid you would not understand."
"'Twould take a wizard to understand ye! Another chivalrous impulse, Idoubt not?"
"Chiv--! No. It is just that I could not let him think me an honourablegentleman. He took it well, on the whole, and is now frigidly polite."
"Polite! I should hope so! The ould scarecrow, after ye'd saved hisdaughter on him, too! And 'twas he made ye so furious?"
Carstares laughed.
