Round the house tall fences of yew and holly fend off the colder winds.
On an evening in early spring Rallywood and Counsellor strolled under
the shelter of a massive black wall of yew. The daffodils were blowing
about the border of the lake below them, and along the distant hedges
furry catkins were already nodding and floating on the crisp breeze.

'I have found it necessary once or twice before to say that you were a
fool, John,' said Counsellor, looking up at a corner of the great
stone-built mansion, its cold aspect yellowed and mellowed by the
strengthening sunshine.

'Always or on occasion?' Rallywood laughed easily.

'Mostly. You will not leave the Guard. If I were you I should go
to-morrow. Marry the girl as soon as she will let you, and bring her
here. Then sit down and shoot partridges. She will like it. It is better
than Maasau.'

'It is altogether good to own the old place again,' Rallywood said, 'and
we'll do our duty by the partridges, Major, you and I, I hope,
by-and-by, but to do that and nothing else--not yet!'

'You've stalked bigger game and that has spoilt you,' grumbled the
Major. 'After Count Sagan, partridges pall. Yet it is a pity.'

'I shall bring Valerie here sometimes, of course. I think she'll like
the old place almost as much as I do.'

'More, since it is the birthplace and home of one John Rallywood,' said
Counsellor with a twist of his big moustache. 'You lucky, undeserving
beggar! So Selpdorf's gone. A queer compound.'

'His death redeemed--much,' said Rallywood, shortly.

'Yes,' Counsellor puffed out a great cloud of smoke, 'yes, but we have
no reason to forget the fact that he was very ready to secure himself at
a heavy cost to you.'

'For the sake of Maasau,' interposed Rallywood.

'Hum--for the sake of Maasau! And you were an inconvenient personality
also. Well, well, let it pass. But it was touch and go with you, John,
for no one could have foreseen that shaky old Gustave would rise to the
occasion as he did. And what has he done for you after all?'

'He saved my life first, and gave me the Gold Star of Maasau
afterwards,' said Rallywood, 'an honour which I share with some
monarchs--and Major Counsellor.'

'Dirt cheap, too!' grunted Counsellor. 'I hear that Madame de Sagan sent
you a very neat congratulation.

"A genoux sur la terre
Nous rendons graces a Dieu
Et nous lui faisons voeux
D'une double priere."

You can take your own meaning out of it,