n the library, and
confessed that Paul had asked her to marry him, and that she had not
exactly refused. Girls' ideas about those things are apt to be very
inexact when they are in love with a man and do not want to own it. Of
course I said I was glad she had not accepted him; but when I put it to
her in that way she seemed more uncertain than ever. The end of it was
that she said she could not marry him, however much she liked him,
unless he could put an end to a certain foolish tale which is told
against him. I dare say you have heard that he had been half suspected
of helping his brother out of the world. Was there ever such nonsense?
That was what Chrysophrasia meant with her disgusting personalities
about Cain and Abel. I dare say you remember. I do not mind telling you
that I like Paul very much more than I expected to when he first came.
He has a hard shell, but he is a good fellow, and as innocent of his
brother's death as I am. But--they are cousins, and Paul's mother has
certainly been insane. Of course insanity brought on by an accident can
never be hereditary; but then, there is Chrysophrasia, who is certainly
very odd. However, Paul is a fine fellow, and I will think of it. Mrs.
Carvel likes him even better than I do. I would have preferred that
Hermione should marry an out-and-out Englishman, but I always said she
should marry the man she loved, if he were a gentleman, and I will not
go back on my word. They will not have much to live on, for I believe
Paul has refused to touch a penny of his brother's fortune, believing
that he may yet be found.

But the plot thickens. What do you suppose Macaulay has been doing? He
has written a letter to his old chief, Lord Mavourneen, who always liked
him so much, begging to be sent to Constantinople. The ambassador had a
secretary out there of the same standing who wanted to go to Paris, so
the matter was arranged at the Foreign Office, and Macaulay is going out
at once. Naturally the female establishment set up a howl that they must
spend the summer on the Bosphorus; that I had taken them everywhere
else, and that no one of them could die happy without having seen
Constantinople. The howl lasted a week. Then I went the way of all
flesh, and gave in. Mrs. Carvel wanted to see Macaulay, Madame Patoff
wanted to see the place where poor Alexander disappeared, Hermione
wanted to see Paul, and Chrysophrasia wanted to see the Golden Horn and
dance upon the glad waters of th