e unfortunate lover, getting
up from his seat. "Very likely she won't have me. Perhaps she has
told you so."

"She never mentioned your name to me in her life. I don't suppose she
remembers your existence."

"But I say that there can be no insult in such a one as me asking
such a one as her to be my wife. To say that she doesn't remember my
existence is absurd."

"Why should I be troubled with all this?"

"Because I think you're making a fool of her, and because I'm honest.
That's why," said Dolly with much energy. There was something in this
which partly reconciled Silverbridge to his despised rival. There was
a touch of truth about the man, though he was so utterly mistaken in
his ideas. "I want you to give over in order that I may try again. I
don't think you ought to keep a girl from her promotion, merely for
the fun of a flirtation. Perhaps you're fond of her;--but you won't
marry her. I am fond of her, and I shall."

After a minute's pause Silverbridge resolved that he would be
magnanimous. "Miss Boncassen is going to be my wife," he said.

"Your wife!"

"Yes;--my wife. And now I think you will see that nothing further can
be said about this matter."

"Duchess of Omnium!"

"She will be Lady Silverbridge."

"Oh; of course she'll be that first. Then I've got nothing further
to say. I'm not going to enter myself to run against you. Only I
shouldn't have believed it if anybody else had told me."

"Such is my good fortune."

"Oh ah,--yes; of course. That is one way of looking at it. Well;
Silverbridge, I'll tell you what I shall do; I shall hook it."

"No; no, not you."

"Yes, I shall. I dare say you won't believe me, but I've got such a
feeling about me here"--as he said this he laid his hand upon his
heart,--"that if I stayed I should go in for hard drinking. I shall
take the great Asiatic tour. I know a fellow that wants to go, but
he hasn't got any money. I dare say I shall be off before the end of
next month. You don't know any fellow that would buy half-a-dozen
hunters; do you?" Silverbridge shook his head. "Good-bye," said Dolly
in a melancholy tone; "I am sure I am very much obliged to you for
telling me. If I'd known you'd meant it, I shouldn't have meddled, of
course. Duchess of Omnium!"

"Look here, Dolly, I have told you what I should not have told any
one, but I wanted to screen the young lady's name."

"It was so kind of you."

"Do not repeat it. It is a kind of thing that ladies a