You are, no doubt, supposed to be entitled to
the best and sweetest of God's feminine creatures."

"You are she."

"Whether you be entitled to me or not I cannot yet say. Now I will
tell you something of myself. My father's father came to New York as
a labourer from Holland, and worked upon the quays in that city. Then
he built houses, and became rich, and was almost a miser;--with the
good sense, however, to educate his only son. What my father is you
see. To me he is sterling gold, but he is not like your people. My
dear mother is not at all like your ladies. She is not a lady in your
sense,--though with her unselfish devotion to others she is something
infinitely better. For myself I am,--well, meaning to speak honestly,
I will call myself pretty and smart. I think I know how to be true."

"I am sure you do."

"But what right have you to suppose I shall know how to be a
Duchess?"

"I am sure you will."

"Now listen to me. Go to your friends and ask them. Ask that Lady
Mabel;--ask your father;--ask that Lady Cantrip. And above all, ask
yourself. And allow me to require you to take three months to do
this. Do not come to see me for three months."

"And then?"

"What may happen then I cannot tell, for I want three months also to
think of it myself. Till then, good-bye." She gave him her hand and
left it in his for a few seconds. He tried to draw her to him; but
she resisted him, still smiling. Then she left him.

CHAPTER XLI

Ischl

It was a custom with Mrs. Finn almost every autumn to go off to
Vienna, where she possessed considerable property, and there to
inspect the circumstances of her estate. Sometimes her husband
would accompany her, and he did so in this year of which we are now
speaking. One morning in September they were together at an hotel at
Ischl, whither they had come from Vienna, when as they went through
the hall into the courtyard, they came, in the very doorway, upon
the Duke of Omnium and his daughter. The Duke and Lady Mary had just
arrived, having passed through the mountains from the salt-mine
district, and were about to take up their residence in the hotel for
a few days. They had travelled very slowly, for Lady Mary had been
ill, and the Duke had expressed his determination to see a doctor at
Ischl.

There is no greater mistake than in supposing that only the young
blush. But the blushes of middle life are luckily not seen through
the tan which has come from the sun and