a
man's trunk is once corded he never goes back of his journey."

CHAPTER LV. THE PRISONER AT CATTARO

So much occupied and interested were the little household of the villa
in Bramleigh's departure--there were so many things to be done, so
many things to be remembered--that L'Estrange never once thought of the
messenger from the Podesta, who still waited patiently for his answer.

"I declare," said Julia, "that poor man is still standing in the hall.
For pity's sake, George, give him some answer, and send him away."

"But what is the answer to be, Ju? I have not the faintest notion of
how these cases are dealt with."

"Let us look over what that great book of instructions says. I used
to read a little of it every day when we came first, and I worried Mr.
Bramleigh so completely with my superior knowledge that he carried it
off and hid it."

"Oh, I remember now. He told me he had left it at the consulate, for
that you were positively driving him distracted with official details."

"How ungrateful men are! They never know what good 'nagging' does them.
It is the stimulant that converts half the sluggish people in the world
into reasonably active individuals."

"Perhaps we are occasionally over-stimulated," said George, dryly.

"If so, it is by your own vanity. Men are spoiled by their fellow-men,
and not by women. There, now, you look very much puzzled at that
paradox--as you 'd like to call it--but go away and think over it, and
say this evening if I'm not right."

"Very likely you are," said he, in his indolent way; "but whether or
not, you always beat me in a discussion."

"And this letter from the Podesta; who is to reply, or what is the
reply to be?"

"Well," said he, after a pause, "I think of the two I 'd rather speak
bad Italian than write it. I 'll go down and see the Podesta."

"There 's zeal and activity," said Julia, laughing. "Never disparage
the system of nagging after that. Poor George," said she as she looked
after him while he set out for Cattaro, "he 'd have a stouter heart to
ride a six-foot wall than for the interview that is now before him."

"And yet," said Nelly, "it was only a moment ago you were talking to
him about his vanity."

"And I might as well have talked about his wealth. But you 'd spoil
him, Nelly, if I was n't here to prevent it. These indolent men get into
the way of believing that languor and laziness are good temper; and as
George is really a fine-hearted fel