ay--sail in, since it's worth it, even if you've got to sink
afterwards, for this lady, although she is half a Jew, and I never
could abide Jews, is the sweetest and the loveliest and the best and the
bravest little woman that ever walked God's earth."

At this point Oliver seized his hand and shook it warmly, and I may
mention that I think some report of Quick's summary of her character
must have reached Maqueda's ears. At any rate, thenceforward until the
end she always treated the old fellow with what the French call the
"most distinguished consideration."

But, as I was not in love, no one shook my hand, so, leaving the other
two to discuss the virtues and graces of the Child of Kings, I went off
to bed filled with the gloomiest forbodings. What a fool I had been not
to insist that whatever expert accompanied Higgs should be a married
man. And yet, now when I came to think of it, that might not have
bettered matters, and perhaps would only have added to the transaction
a degree of moral turpitude which at present was lacking, since even
married men are sometimes weak.

The truth was that Maqueda's attractions were extraordinarily great. To
her remarkable beauty she added a wonderful charm of manner and force
of mind. Also her situation must touch the heart and pity of any man,
so helpless was she in the midst of all her hollow grandeur, so lonely
amongst a nation of curs whom she strove in vain to save, and should
she escape destruction with them, doomed to so sad and repulsive a fate,
namely to become the wife of a fat poltroon who was her own uncle. Well,
we know to what emotion pity is akin, and the catastrophe had occurred a
little sooner than I had expected, that was all.

Doubtless to her, in comparison with the men to whom she was accustomed
and allowed by etiquette to take as her associates, this brave and
handsome young Englishman, who had come into her care sick and shattered
after the doing of a great deed, must have seemed a veritable fairy
prince. And she had helped to nurse him, and he had shown himself
grateful for her kindness and condescension, and--the rest followed, as
surely as the day follows the night.

But how would it end? Sooner or later the secret must come out, for
already the Abati nobles, if I may call them so for want of a better
name, and especially Joshua, were bitterly jealous of the favour their
lady showed to the foreigner, and watched them both. Then what--what
would happen?