erse. Tony, however, was as impenetrable in his simplicity as some
others are in their depth; and after two or three attempts to draw
him on to talk of commonplaces, Maitland said abruptly: "You must have
thought it a great impertinence on my part to make such a proposal to
your mother as she has just told you of; but the fact was, I had
no other way of approaching a very difficult subject, and opening a
question which to her, certainly, I could not explain myself fully upon.
I heard a good deal about you up at the Abbey, and all that I heard
confirmed me in the notion that you were just the man for an enterprise
in which I am myself deeply interested. However, as I well knew, even if
I succeeded in inducing you to become my comrade, it would be necessary
to have a sort of narrative which would conceal the project from your
mother, it occurred to me to get up this silly idea of a secretaryship,
which I own freely may have offended you."

"Not offended; it only amused me," said Tony, good-humoredly. "I can't
imagine a man less fitted for such an office than myself."

"I 'm not so sure of that," said Maitland, "though I'm quite certain it
would be a very unprofitable use to make of you. You are, like myself, a
man of action; one to execute and do, and not merely to note and record.
The fellows who write history very seldom make it,--isn't that true?"

"I don't know. I can only say I don't think I 'm very likely to do one
or the other."

"We shall see that I don't concur in the opinion, but we shall see.
It would be rather a tedious process to explain myself fully as to my
project, but I 'll give you two or three little volumes."

"No, no; don't give me anything to read; if you want me to understand
you, tell it out plainly, whatever it is."

"Here goes, then, and it is not my fault if you don't fully comprehend
me; but mind, what I am about to reveal to you is strictly on honor,
and never to be divulged to any one. I have your word for this?" They
pressed hands, and he continued: "There is a government on the Continent
so undermined by secret treachery that it can no longer rely upon its
own arms for defence, but is driven to enlist in its cause the brave
and adventurous spirits of other countries,--men who, averse to ignoble
callings or monotonous labor, would rather risk life than reduce it
to the mere condition of daily drudgery. To this government, which
in principle has all my sympathies, I have devoted all that