that his niece Lucy might
be summoned to attend him in his study, as he should consider it his
duty to lay before her Mr. Lawless's very handsome and flattering
proposal.

"And suppose Lucy should take it into her head, by any chance, to say
Yes" ("Never thought of that, by Jove!--that would be a sell," muttered
Lawless, aside),--"what's to become of poor dear Mr. Lowe Brown?"
inquired Mrs. Coleman anxiously.

"In such a case," replied her lord and master, with a dignified wave
of the hand, pausing as he left the room, and speaking with great
solemnity,--"in such a case, Mr. Lowe Brown will perceive that it is his
duty, his direct and evident duty, to submit to his fate with the calm
and placid resignation becoming the son of so every way respectable and
eminent a man as his late lamented father, my friend, the drysalter."

CHAPTER LIII -- A COMEDY OF ERRORS

"Content you, gentlemen,
I'll compound this strife.... He of both
That can assure _my nieces_ greatest dower,
Shall have her love."
"I must confess your offer is the best,
And let your father make her the assurance,
She is your own."
--_Taming of the Shrew_.

POOR pretty little Lucy Markham! what business had tears to come
and profane, with their tell-tale traces, that bright, merry face of
thine--fitting index to thy warm heart and sunny disposition! And yet,
in the quenched ~433~~ light of that dark eye, in the heavy swollen lid,
and in the paled roses of thy dimpled cheek, might be read the tokens of
a concealed grief, that, like "a worm i' the bud," had already begun to
mar thy sparkling beauty. Heed it not, pretty Lucy--sorrow such as thine
is light and transient, and succour, albeit in a disguise thou canst not
penetrate, is even now at hand. As the young lady in question entered
the luncheon-room, returning Lawless's salutation with a most becoming
blush, the thought crossed my mind, that in his position I should be
almost tempted to regret I was destined to perform the lover's part "on
that occasion only". Such, however, were not the ideas of my companion,
for he whispered to me, "I say, Frank, she looks uncommon friendly,
eh?--I don't know what to make of it, I can tell you; this is getting
serious".

"You must endeavour by your manner to neutralise your many
fascinations," replied I, striving to hide a smile, for he was evidently
in earnest.

"Neutralise my g