beyond flirtation, any interference of
mine would be imprudent, if not impertinent. Lord Callonby smiled
slightly as he replied,

"Quite right, Lorrequer, I am just as much against constraint as
yourself, if only no great barriers exist; but here with a difference of
religion, country, language, habits, in fact, everything that can create
disparity, the thing is not to be thought of."

I suspected that his Lordship read in my partial defence of Kilkee, a
slight attempt to prop up my own case, and felt confused and embarrassed
beyond measure at the detection.

"Well, we shall have time enough for all this. Now let us hear something
of my old friend Sir Guy. How is he looking?"

"I am unfortunately unable to give you any account of him. I left Paris
the very day before he was expected to arrive there."

"Oh then, I have all the news myself in that case, for in his letter
which I received yesterday, he mentions that we are not to expect him
before Tuesday."

"Expect him. Is he coming here then?"

"Yes. Why, I thought you were aware of that, he has been long promising
to pay us a visit, and at last, by great persuasion, we have succeeded in
getting him across the sea, and, indeed, were it not that he was coming,
we should have been in Florence before this."

A gleam of hope shot through my heart as I said to myself, what can this
visit mean? and the moment after I felt sick, almost to fainting, as I
asked if "my cousin Guy were also expected."

"Oh yes. We shall want him I should think" said Lord Callonby with a
very peculiar smile.

I thought I should have fallen at these few words. Come, Harry, thought
I, it is better to learn your fate at once. Now or never; death itself
were preferable to this continued suspense. If the blow is to fall, it
can scarcely sink me lower than I now feel: so reasoning, I laid my hand
upon Lord Callonby's arm, and with a face pale as death, and a voice all
but inarticulate, said,

"My Lord, you will pardon, I am sure--"

"My dear Lorrequer," said his lordship interrupting me, "for heaven's
sake sit down. How ill you are looking, we must nurse you, my poor
fellow."

I sank upon a bench--the light danced before my eyes--the clang of the
music sounded like the roar of a waterfall, and I felt a cold
perspiration burst over my face and forehead; at the same instant, I
recognized Kilkee's voice, and without well knowing why, or how,
discovered myself in the open air.