ame,--which was not
in rule, and almost induced the Serjeant to declare, when he heard
it, that he would have nothing more to do with the case. "My lord,"
said the Countess, "I am glad to meet you, and I hope that we may be
friends." The young man was less collected, and stammered out a few
words that were intended to be civil.

"It is a pity that you should have conflicting interests," said the
attorney.

"I hope it need not continue to be so," said the Countess. "My heart,
Lord Lovel, is all in the welfare of our joint family. We will
begrudge you nothing if you will not begrudge us the names which
are our own, and without which we cannot live honourably before
the world." Then some other few words were muttered, and the Earl
promised to come to Wyndham Street at a certain hour. Not a word
was then said about the marriage. Even the Countess, with all her
resolution and all her courage, did not find herself able in set
terms to ask the young man to marry her daughter.

"She is a very handsome woman," said the lord to the attorney, when
the Countess had left them.

"Yes, indeed."

"And like a lady."

"Quite like a lady. She herself was of a good family."

"I suppose she certainly was the late Earl's wife, Mr. Flick?"

"Who can say, my lord? That is just the question. The
Solicitor-General thinks that she would prove her right, and I do
not know that I have ever found him to be wrong when he has had a
steadfast opinion."

"Why should we not give it up to her at once?"

"I couldn't recommend that, my lord. Why should we give it up? The
interests at stake are very great. I couldn't for a moment think of
suggesting to you to give it up."

"I want nothing, Mr. Flick, that does not belong to me."

"Just so. But then perhaps it does belong to you. We can never
be sure. No doubt the safest way will be for you to contract an
alliance with this lady. Of course we should give it up then, but the
settlements would make the property all right." The young Earl did
not quite like it. He would rather have commenced his wooing after
the girl had been established in her own right, and when she would
have had no obligation on her to accept him. But he had consented,
and it was too late for him now to recede. It had been already
arranged that he should call in Wyndham Street at noon on the
following day, in order that he might be introduced to his cousin.

On that evening the Countess sat late with her daughter, purposing