as honourable--he had transgressed no duty, abandoned no
principle--he had not injured the happiness of any human being--he had
not, to gratify himself, hazarded the peace of the woman he loved--he
had not sought to win her heart. Of her innocent, her warm, susceptible
heart, he might perhaps have robbed her--he knew it--but he had left it
untouched, he hoped entire, in her own power, to bless with it hereafter
some man worthy of her. In the hope that she might be happy, Lord
Colambre felt relief; and in the consciousness that he had made his
parents happy, he rejoiced. But, as soon as his mind turned that way
for consolation, came the bitter concomitant reflection, that his mother
must be disappointed in her hopes of his accompanying her home, and of
his living with her in Ireland; she would be miserable when she should
hear that he was going abroad into the army--and yet it must be so--and
he must write, and tell her so. 'The sooner this difficulty is off my
mind, the sooner this painful letter is written, the better,' thought
he. 'It must be done--I will do it immediately.'

He snatched up his pen, and began a letter.

My dear mother--Miss Nugent--'

He was interrupted by a knock at his door.

'A gentleman below, my lord,' said a servant, 'who wishes to see you.'

I cannot see any gentleman. Did you say I was at home?'

'No, my lord; I said you was not at home; for I thought you would not
choose to be at home, and your own man was not in the way for me to
ask--so I denied you; but the gentleman would not be denied; he said
I must come and see if you was at home. So, as he spoke as if he was
a gentleman not used to be denied, I thought it might be somebody of
consequence, and I showed him into the front drawing-room. I think he
said he was sure you'd be at home for a friend from Ireland.'

'A friend from Ireland! Why did not you tell me that sooner?' said Lord
Colambre, rising, and running downstairs. 'Sir James Brooke, I daresay.'

No, not Sir James Brooke; but one he was almost as glad to see--Count
O'Halloran!

'My dear count! the greater pleasure for being unexpected.'

'I came to London but yesterday,' said the count; 'but I could not be
here a day, without doing myself the honour of paying my respects to
Lord Colambre.'

'You do me not only honour, but pleasure, my dear count. People when
they like one another, always find each other out, and contrive to meet
even in London.'

'You are too polite t