to them at once?"

"Not in the least. I am quite ready."

Percival was rather staggered by his willingness to accompany him. He
laid down his pipe, which he had been holding mechanically for some time
in his hand, and made a step towards the door. But as he reached it Dino
spoke again.

"I wish, Mr. Heron, that before you go to these lawyers you would listen
to me a little longer. If for a moment or two you would divest yourself
of your suspicions, if you would for a moment or two assume (only for
the sake of argument) the truth of my story, I could tell you then why I
came. As yet, I have scarcely approached the object of my errand."

"Money, I suppose!" said Percival. "Truth will out, sooner or later."

"Mr. Heron," said Dino, "are we to approach this subject as gentlemen or
not? When I ask you for money, you will be at liberty to insult me, not
before."

Again that tone of quiet superiority! Percival broke out angrily:--

"I will listen to nothing more from you. If you like to go with me to
Brett and Grattan, we will go now; if not, you are a liar and an
impostor, and I shall be happy to kick you out into the street."

Dino raised his head; a quick, involuntary movement ran through his
frame, as if it thrilled with anger at the insulting words. Then his
head sank; he quietly folded his arms across his breast, and stood as he
used to stand when awaiting an order or an admonition from the
Prior--tranquil, submissive, silent, but neither ill-humoured nor
depressed. The very silence and submission enraged Percival the more.

"If you were of Scotch or English blood," he said, sharply, pausing as
he crossed the room to look over his shoulder at the motionless figure
in the black robe, with folded arms and bent head, "you would resent the
words I have hastily used. That you don't do so is proof positive to my
mind that you are no Luttrell."

"If I am a Luttrell, I trust that I am a Christian, too," said Dino,
tranquilly. "It is a monk's duty--a monk's privilege--to bear insult."

"Detestable hypocrisy!" growled Percival to himself, as he stepped to
the door and ostentatiously locked it, putting the key into his pocket,
before he went into the adjoining bed-room to change his coat. "We'll
soon see what Brett and Grattan say to him. Confound the fellow! Who
would think that that smooth saintly face covered so much insolence! I
should like to give him a good hiding. I should, indeed."

He returned to the sitting-r