never means much. When a
girl is engaged she likes to have the day fixed. When there's a long
interval the man can do pretty much as he pleases, while the girl can
do nothing except think about him. Then it sometimes turns out that
when he's wanted, he's not there."

"I hope I'm not distrusted," said Gerard, with an air that showed
that he was almost disposed to be offended.

"Not in the least. The women here think you the finest paladin in the
world, and Miss Palliser would fly at my throat if she thought that
I said a word against you. But she's in my house, you see; and I'm
bound to do exactly as I should if she were my sister."

"And if she were your sister?"

"I should tell you that I couldn't approve of the engagement unless
you were prepared to fix the time of your marriage. And I should ask
you where you intended to live."

"Wherever she pleases. I can't go to Maule Abbey while my father
lives, without his sanction."

"And he may live for the next twenty years."

"Or thirty."

"Then you are bound to decide upon something else. It's no use saying
that you leave it to her. You can't leave it to her. What I mean
is this, that now you are here, I think you are bound to settle
something with her. Good-night, old fellow."

CHAPTER XLII

Boulogne

Gerard Maule, as he sat upstairs half undressed in his bedroom that
night didn't like it. He hardly knew what it was that he did not
like,--but he felt that there was something wrong. He thought that
Lord Chiltern had not been warranted in speaking to him with a tone
of authority, and in talking of a brother's position,--and the rest
of it. He had lacked the presence of mind for saying anything at the
moment; but he must say something sooner or later. He wasn't going to
be driven by Lord Chiltern. When he looked back at his own conduct he
thought that it had been more than noble,--almost romantic. He had
fallen in love with Miss Palliser, and spoken his love out freely,
without any reference to money. He didn't know what more any fellow
could have done. As to his marrying out of hand, the day after his
engagement, as a man of fortune can do, everybody must have known
that that was out of the question. Adelaide of course had known it.
It had been suggested to him that he should consult his father as to
living at Maule Abbey. Now if there was one thing he hated more than
another, it was consulting his father; and yet he had done it. He had
asked for a lo