g, and the scene between them took place as above described. The
marriage was at once declared as a settled thing. "Now, my dear, you
must name the day," said Lord Castlewell, as full of joy as though he
were going to marry a duke's daughter.

"I have got to finish my engagement," said Rachel; "I am bound down
to the end of May. When June comes you shan't find a girl who will
be in a greater hurry. Do you think that I do not wish to become a
countess?"

He told her that he would contrive to get her engagement broken.
"Covent Garden is not going to quarrel with me about my wife, I'm
sure," he said.

"Ah! but my own one," said Rachel, "we will do it all _selon les
regles_. I am in a hurry, but we won't let the world know it. I, the
future Countess of Castlewell; I, the future Marchioness of Beaulieu,
will keep my terms and my allotted times like any candle-snuffer.
What do you think Moss will say?"

"What can it signify what Mr. Moss may say?"

"Ah! but my own man, it does signify. Mr. Moss shall know that
through it all I have done my duty. Madame Socani will tell lies, but
she shall feel in her heart that she has once in her life come across
a woman who, when she has signed a bit of paper, intends to remain
true to the paper signed. And, my lord, there is still L100 due to
you from my father."

"Gammon!" said the lord.

"I could pay it by a cheque on the bank, to be sure, but let us go on
to the end of May. I want to see how all the young women will behave
when they hear of it." And so some early day in June was fixed for
the wedding.

Among others who heard of it were, of course, Mr. Moss and Madame
Socani. They heard of it, but of course did not believe it. It was
too bright to be believed. When Madame Socani was assured that Rachel
had taken the money,--she and her father between them,--she declared,
with great apparent satisfaction, that Rachel must be given up as
lost. "As to that wicked old man, her father--"

"He's not so very old," said Moss.

"She's no chicken, and he's old enough to be her father. That is, if
he is her father. I have known that girl on the stage any day these
ten years."

"No, you've not; not yet five. I don't quite know how it is." And Mr.
Moss endeavoured to think of it all in such a manner as to make it
yet possible that he might marry her. What might not they two do
together in the musical world?

"You don't mean to say you'd take her yet?" said Madame Socani, with
scorn.