"I must apologise to you for my
father's conduct."

"Never mind, Japhet; I don't care about a trifle; but why don't you ask
after your friends?"

"I have longed so to do, sir," replied I. "Lord Windermear--"

"Is quite well, and will be most happy to see you."

"Lady de Clare, and her daughter--"

"Lady de Clare has entered into society again, and her daughter, as you
call her--your Fleta, _alias_ Cecilia de Clare--is the belle of the
metropolis. But now, sir, as I have answered all your interrogatories,
and satisfied you upon the most essential points, will you favour me
with a narrative of your adventures, (for adventures I am sure you must
have had,) since you ran away from us all in that ungrateful manner."

"Most certainly, sir, I will; and, as you say, I have had adventures.
But it really will be a long story."

"Then we'll dine here, and pass the evening together--so that's
settled."

PART THREE, CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

IN WHICH I AM LET INTO MORE PARTICULARS RELATIVE TO MY FATHER'S HISTORY.

I dismissed the coach, while Mr Masterton gave his orders for dinner,
and we then turned the key of the door to avoid intrusion, and I
commenced. It was nearly dinner-time before I had finished my story.

"Well, you really appear to be born for getting into scrapes, and
getting out of them again in a miraculous way," observed Mr Masterton.
"Your life would make a novel."

"It would indeed, sir," replied I. "I only hope, like all novels, it
will wind up well."

"So do I; but dinner's ready, Japhet, and after dinner we'll talk the
matter over again, for there are some points upon which I require some
explanation."

We sat down to dinner, and when we had finished, and the table had been
cleared, we drew to the fire, with our bottle of wine. Mr Masterton
stirred the fire, called for his slippers, and then crossing his legs
over the fender, resumed the subject.

"Japhet, I consider it most fortunate that we have met, previous to your
introduction to your father. You have so far to congratulate yourself,
that your family is undeniably good, there being, as you know, an Irish
peerage in it; of which, however, you have no chance, as the present
earl has a numerous offspring. You are also fortunate as far as money
is concerned, as I have every reason to believe that your father is a
very rich man, and, of course, you are his only child; but I must now
prepare you to meet with a very different person than pe