Enville Court, which had become no longer
an amusing, but an uncomfortable place. In his eyes, it was perfectly
monstrous that any man should object to his daughters being honoured by
the condescending notice of an Andalusian gentleman, who would one day
be a grandee of the first class; utterly preposterous! But since this
unreasonable man was so absurd as to object to the distinction,
conferred upon his house, it was as well that an Andalusian gentleman
should be out of his sphere. So Don Juan went willingly to London.
Friends of his parents made suit for him, and Elizabeth herself
remembered his mother, as one who had done her several little
kindnesses, such as a Lady-in-Waiting on the Queen could do for a
Princess under a cloud; and Don Juan received a free pardon, and leave
to return home when and as he would. He only broke one more heart while
he remained in England; and that was beneath any regret on his part,
being only a poor, insignificant grocer's daughter. And then he sailed
for Spain; and then he married Dona Lisarda; and then he became a
Lord-in-Waiting; and then he lived a wealthy, gorgeous, prosperous life;
and then all men spoke well of him, seeing how much good he had done to
himself; and then he grew old,--a highly respected, highly
self-satisfied man.

And then his soul was required of him. Did God say to him,--"Thou
fool"?

CHAPTER NINE.

TOO ABSTRUSE FOR BLANCHE.

"Hear the just law, the judgment of the skies!
He that hates truth shall be the dupe of lies;
And he that _will_ be cheated to the last,
Delusions strong as Hell shall bind him fast."

_Cowper_.

"I did conceive, Mistress Blanche," said Mr Tremayne one morning, as
the party rose from the breakfast-table, "that you would with a good
will see the picture of Clare's grandsire, the which hangeth in my
study-chamber?"

"Oh ay, an' it like you," responded Blanche eagerly.

Clare had seen the portrait, but not Blanche. Mr Tremayne led the way
to his study, allowed her to examine the likeness at her leisure, and
answered all her questions about John Avery. Entrapped Blanche did not
realise that he was catching her with the same sort of guile which Saint
Paul used towards the Corinthians. [2 Corinthians 12, 16] Mrs Tremayne
came in, and sat down quietly with her work, before the inspection was
over. When her curiosity was at length satisfied, Blanche thanked Mr
Tremayne, and would have left the room with a court