"I shall go away," said Frank.

"Nonsense. Mr de Courcy and your other friend won't stir for this
hour yet."

"I don't care. I shall walk on, and they may catch me. I may be
wrong; but it seems to me that a man insults me when he asks me to
dine with him and never speaks to me. I don't care if he be ten times
Duke of Omnium; he can't be more than a gentleman, and as such I
am his equal." And then, having thus given vent to his feelings in
somewhat high-flown language, he walked forth and trudged away along
the road towards Courcy.

Frank Gresham had been born and bred a Conservative, whereas the
Duke of Omnium was well known as a consistent Whig. There is no one
so devoutly resolved to admit of no superior as your Conservative,
born and bred, no one so inclined to high domestic despotism as your
thoroughgoing consistent old Whig.

When he had proceeded about six miles, Frank was picked up by his
friends; but even then his anger had hardly cooled.

"Was the duke as civil as ever when you took your leave of him?" said
he to his cousin George, as he took his seat on the drag.

"The juke was jeuced jude wine--lem me tell you that, old fella,"
hiccupped out the Honourable George, as he touched up the leader
under the flank.

CHAPTER XX

The Proposal

And now the departures from Courcy Castle came rapidly one after
another, and there remained but one more evening before Miss
Dunstable's carriage was to be packed. The countess, in the early
moments of Frank's courtship, had controlled his ardour and checked
the rapidity of his amorous professions; but as days, and at last
weeks, wore away, she found that it was necessary to stir the fire
which she had before endeavoured to slacken.

"There will be nobody here to-night but our own circle," said she to
him, "and I really think you should tell Miss Dunstable what your
intentions are. She will have fair ground to complain of you if you
do not."

Frank began to feel that he was in a dilemma. He had commenced making
love to Miss Dunstable partly because he liked the amusement, and
partly from a satirical propensity to quiz his aunt by appearing to
fall into her scheme. But he had overshot the mark, and did not know
what answer to give when he was thus called upon to make a downright
proposal. And then, although he did not care two rushes about Miss
Dunstable in the way of love, he nevertheless experienced a sort of
jealousy when he found that she appeared to