Amory."

"I--I thought so," Foker said; "and has she accepted you!"

"Not quite," Arthur replied, with a confident smile, which seemed to
say, I have but to ask, and she comes to me that instant.

"Oh, not quite," said Foker; and he broke out with such a dreadful
laugh, that Pen, for the first time, turned his thoughts from himself
towards his companion, and was struck by the other's ghastly pale face.

"My dear fellow, Fo! what's the matter? You're ill," Pen said, in a tone
of real concern.

"You think it was the champagne at Gaunt House, don't you? It ain't
that. Come in; let me talk to you for a minute. I'll tell you what it
is. D----it, let me tell somebody," Foker said.

They were at Mr. Foker's door by this time, and, opening it, Harry
walked with his friend into his apartments, which were situated in the
back part of the house, and behind the family dining-room where the
elder Foker received his guests, surrounded by pictures of himself, his
wife, his infant son on a donkey, and the late Earl of Gravesend in his
robes as a Peer. Foker and Pen passed by this chamber, now closed with
death-like shutters, and entered into the young man's own quarters.
Dusky streams of sunbeams were playing into that room, and lighting up
poor Harry's gallery of dancing-girls and opera nymphs with flickering
illuminations.

"Look here! I can't help telling you, Pen," he said. "Ever since the
night we dined there, I'm so fond of that girl, that I think I shall
die if I don't get her. I feel as if I should go mad sometimes. I can't
stand it, Pen. I couldn't bear to hear you talking about her, just now,
about marrying her only because she's money. Ah, Pen! that ain't the
question in marrying. I'd bet anything it ain't. Talking about money
and such a girl as that, it's--it's--what-d'ye-call-'em--you know what
I mean--I ain't good at talking--sacrilege, then. If she'd have me, I'd
take and sweep a crossing, that I would!"

"Poor Fo! I don't think that would tempt her," Pen said, eyeing his
friend with a great deal of real good-nature and pity. "She is not a
girl for love and a cottage."

"She ought to be a duchess, I know that very well, and I know she
wouldn't take me unless I could make her a great place in the world--for
I ain't good for anything myself much--I ain't clever and that sort
of thing," Foker said sadly. "If I had all the diamonds that all the
duchesses and marchionesses had on to-night, wouldn't I put 'em in her