arly honoured, so
far from deeming his lordship (which never could be the case with people
so distinguished as his lordship was, especially!) impertinent.

Lord Mauleverer, encouraged by this speech, artfully renewed, and
succeeded, if not in convincing the squire that the handsome captain was
a suspicious character, at least in persuading him that common prudence
required that he should find out exactly who the handsome captain was,
especially as he was in the habit of dining with the squire thrice a
week, and dancing with Lucy every night.

"See," said Mauleverer, "he approaches you now; I will retreat to the
chair by the fireplace, and you shall cross-examine him,--I have no
doubt you will do it with the utmost delicacy."

So saying, Mauleverer took possession of a seat where he was not
absolutely beyond hearing (slightly deaf as he was) of the ensuing
colloquy, though the position of his seat screened him from sight.
Mauleverer was esteemed a man of the most punctilious honour in private
life, and he would not have been seen in the act of listening to other
people's conversation for the world.

Hemming with an air and resettling himself as Clifford approached, the
squire thus skilfully commenced the attack "Ah, ha! my good Captain
Clifford, and how do you do? I saw you (and I am very glad, my friend,
as every one else is, to see you) at a distance. And where have you left
my daughter?"

"Miss Brandon is dancing with Mr. Muskwell, sir," answered Clifford.

"Oh! she is! Mr. Muskwell,--humph! Good family the Muskwells,--came from
Primrose Hall. Pray, Captain, not that I want to know for my own sake,
for I am a strange, odd person, I believe, and I am thoroughly convinced
(some people are censorious, and others, thank God, are not!) of your
respectability,--what family do you come from? You won't think my--my
caution impertinent?" added the shrewd old gentleman, borrowing that
phrase which he thought so friendly in the mouth of Lord Mauleverer.

Clifford coloured for a moment, but replied with a quiet archness of
look, "Family! oh, my dear sir, I come from an old family,--a very old
family indeed."

"So I always thought; and in what part of the world?"

"Scotland, sir,--all our family come from Scotland; namely, all who live
long do,--the rest die young."

"Ay, particular air does agree with particular constitutions. I, for
instance, could not live in all countries; not--you take me--in the
North!"

"Few h