y with your character, as being a thing of much
less consequence, but with any advantage which their existence might
intercept. Fie upon it, man, we have known each other long. I never
thought you a coward; and am only glad to see I could strike a few
sparkles of heat out of your cold and constant disposition. I will now,
if you please, tell you at once the fate of the young lady, in which I
pray you to believe that I am truly interested."

"I hear you, my Lord Duke," said Christian. "The curl of your upper
lip, and your eyebrow, does not escape me. Your Grace knows the French
proverb, 'He laughs best who laughs last.' But I hear you."

"Thank Heaven you do," said Buckingham; "for your case requires haste,
I promise you, and involves no laughing matter. Well then, hear a simple
truth, on which (if it became me to offer any pledge for what I assert
to be such) I could pledge life, fortune, and honour. It was the morning
before last, when meeting with the King at Chiffinch's unexpectedly--in
fact I had looked in to fool an hour away, and to learn how your
scheme advanced--I saw a singular scene. Your niece terrified little
Chiffinch--(the hen Chiffinch, I mean)--bid the King defiance to
his teeth, and walked out of the presence triumphantly, under the
guardianship of a young fellow of little mark or likelihood, excepting
a tolerable personal presence, and the advantage of a most unconquerable
impudence. Egad, I can hardly help laughing to think how the King and I
were both baffled; for I will not deny, that I had tried to trifle for
a moment with the fair Indamora. But, egad, the young fellow swooped
her off from under our noses, like my own Drawcansir clearing off the
banquet from the two Kings of Brentford. There was a dignity in the
gallant's swaggering retreat which I must try to teach Mohun;[*] it will
suit his part admirably."

[*] Then a noted actor.

"This is incomprehensible, my Lord Duke," said Christian, who by this
time had recovered all his usual coolness; "you cannot expect me to
believe this. Who dared be so bold as to carry of my niece in such a
manner, and from so august a presence? And with whom, a stranger as
he must have been, would she, wise and cautious as I know her, have
consented to depart in such a manner?--My lord, I cannot believe this."

"One of your priests, my most devoted Christian," replied the Duke,
"would only answer, Die, infidel, in thine unbelief; but I am only a
poor worldl