y yet be
called a man," he said, with a light touch of scorn. "You have known
him in one capacity and state only--that of a lover, a _role_ he can
no doubt play very prettily, and one in which, despite his youth, he
is far from being unpractised. He has been in love oftener than it
behooves me to say or you to hear--quite harmless affairs, of course,
but they prove to one who has watched him as I have that his nature
is fickle and capricious. I confess that when I heard you say, just
now, that his letters of late had been rarer and less ardent, I could
not wholly attribute it to the reason which so quickly satisfied you.
As a rule, these intensely ardent feelings are not of long duration,
and I know well both the intensity and the brevity of Horace's
attacks of love. It was for this very reason that I so resented the
idea of his marrying without my advice. I foresaw that he would soon
weary of any woman. All the more reason, therefore, for his choosing
one who was suited to him, apart from the matter of his loving her. I
knew he had not the staying quality--that he was quite incapable of a
sustained affection. I therefore considered his taste in the matter
less than my own. As he was my heir in the event of my not marrying,
I felt that I had the right to demand that he should marry suitably
to his position."

"I regret that he should have made an engagement which has
disappointed you," said Bettina, a slight curl at the corners of her
lips.

"I regret it also; but you may remember that at the beginning of this
interview I spoke of this mistake on your part and on his as great,
though not perhaps irreparable."

He was looking at her keenly, and he saw that his words had no effect
upon her except to mystify her.

"I do not see any way to its reparation," she said, and was about to
continue, when he interrupted her.

"I have pointed out the way--a rupture of the engagement by mutual
consent."

"A consent that he would never give," said Bettina, with a certain
pride of confidence.

"And you?" he asked.

"Nor I either," she said, "unless I were convinced that he wished
it."

"It would perhaps be not impossible to convince you of that, granted
a little time," said Lord Hurdly. "But, apart from his wish, have you
no consideration for his interest? His position in diplomacy is at
present insignificant, but he has talents and a chance to rise,
unless that chance be utterly frustrated by his embarrassing himself
wi