of, is it not,
quotha?'

'Love's yellow-fever, jealousy, methinks,' Franko commenced in reply;
but Raikes spat at the emphasized word.

'Jealousy!--who's jealous of clergymen and that crew? Not I, by Pluto!
I carried five messages to one fellow with a coat-tail straight to his
heels, last week. She thought I should drive my curricle--I couldn't
afford an omnibus! I had to run. When I returned to her I was dirty. She
made remarks!'

'Thy sufferings are severe--but such is woman!' said Franko. 'Gad, it's
a good idea, though.' He took out a note-book and pencilled down a point
or two. Raikes watched the process sardonically.

'My tragedy is, then, thy farce!' he exclaimed. 'Well, be it so! I
believe I shall come to song-writing again myself shortly-beneath the
shield of Catnach I'll a nation's ballads frame. I've spent my income
in four months, and now I 'm living on my curricle. I underlet it. It 's
like trade--it 's as bad as poor old Harrington, by Jove! But that isn't
the worst, Franko!' Jack dropped his voice: 'I believe I'm furiously
loved by a poor country wench.'

'Morals!' was Franko's most encouraging reproof.

'Oh, I don't think I've even kissed her,' rejoined Raikes, who doubted
because his imagination was vivid. 'It 's my intellect that dazzles her.
I 've got letters--she calls me clever. By Jove! since I gave up driving
I've had thoughts of rushing down to her and making her mine in spite
of home, family, fortune, friends, name, position--everything! I have,
indeed.'

Franko looked naturally astonished at this amount of self-sacrifice.
'The Countess?' he shrewdly suggested.

'I'd rather be my Polly's prince,
Than yon great lady's errand-boy!'

Raikes burst into song.

He stretched out his hand, as if to discard all the great ladies who
were passing. By the strangest misfortune ever known, the direction
taken by his fingers was toward a carriage wherein, beautifully smiling
opposite an elaborately reverend gentleman of middle age, the Countess
de Saldar was sitting. This great lady is not to be blamed for deeming
that her errand-boy was pointing her out vulgarly on a public promenade.
Ineffable disdain curled off her sweet olive visage. She turned her
head.

'I 'll go down to that girl to-night,' said Raikes, with compressed
passion. And then he hurried Franko along to the bridge, where, behold,
the Countess alighted with the gentleman, and walked beside him into the
gardens.