e chuckled in the face of weighty, severely-worded
instructions; tapped his chest, stretched his arms, yawned, and in short
behaved so singularly that Richard observed it, and said: "On my soul, I
don't think you know a word I'm saying."

"Every word, Ricky!" Ripton spirted through the opening. "I'm going down
to your governor, and tell him: Sir Austin! Here's your only chance of
being a happy father--no, no!--Oh! don't you fear me, Ricky! I shall talk
the old gentleman over."

His chief said:

"Look here. You had better not go down to-night. Go down the first thing
to-morrow, by the six o'clock train. Give him my letter. Listen to
me--give him my letter, and don't speak a word till he speaks. His
eyebrows will go up and down, he won't say much. I know him. If he asks
you about her, don't be a fool, but say what you think of her sensibly"--

No cork could hold in Ripton when she was alluded to. He shouted: "She's
an angel!"

Richard checked him: "Speak sensibly, I say--quietly. You can say how
gentle and good she is--my fleur-de-luce! And say, this was not her
doing. If any one's to blame, it's I. I made her marry me. Then go to
Lady Blandish, if you don't find her at the house. You may say whatever
you please to her. Give her my letter, and tell her I want to hear from
her immediately. She has seen Lucy, and I know what she thinks of her.
You will then go to Farmer Blaize. I told you Lucy happens to be his
niece--she has not lived long there. She lived with her aunt Desborough
in France while she was a child, and can hardly be called a relative to
the farmer--there's not a point of likeness between them. Poor darling!
she never knew her mother. Go to Mr. Blaize, and tell him. You will treat
him just as you would treat any other gentleman. If you are civil, he is
sure to be. And if he abuses me, for my sake and hers you will still
treat him with respect. You hear? And then write me a full account of all
that has been said and done. You will have my address the day after
to-morrow. By the way, Tom will be here this afternoon. Write out for him
where to call on you the day after to-morrow, in case you have heard
anything in the morning you think I ought to know at once, as Tom will
join me that night. Don't mention to anybody about my losing the ring,
Ripton. I wouldn't have Adrian get hold of that for a thousand pounds.
How on earth I came to lose it! How well she bore it, Rip! How
beautifully she behaved!"

Ripto