therefore, at least the old name will not die; Lionel Haughton will take
and be worthy to bear it. Strange weakness of mine, you will say; but I
cannot endure the thought that the old name should be quite blotted out
of the land. I trust that Lionel may early form a suitable and happy
marriage. Sure that he will not choose ignobly, I impose no fetters on
his choice.

One word only on that hateful subject, confided so tardily to your
friendship, left so thankfully to your discretion. Now that I have once
more buried myself in Fawley, it is very unlikely that the man it pains
me to name will seek me here. If he does, he cannot molest me as if
I were in the London world. Continue, then, I pray you, to leave him
alone. And, in adopting your own shrewd belief, that after all there is
no such child as he pretends to claim, my mind becomes tranquillised on
all that part of my private griefs.

Farewell, old school-friend! Here, so far as I can foretell--here, where
my life began, it returns, when Heaven pleases, to close. Here I could
not ask you to visit me: what is rest to me would be loss of time to
you. But in my late and vain attempt to re-enter that existence in which
you have calmly and wisely gathered round yourself, "all that should
accompany old age-honour, love, obedience, troops of friends"--nothing
so repaid the effort--nothing now so pleasantly remains to
recollection--as the brief renewal of that easy commune which men like
me never know, save with those whose laughter brings back to them a gale
from the old playground. "_Vive, vale_;" I will not add, "_Sis memor
mei_." So many my obligations to your kindness, that you will be forced
to remember me whenever you recall the not "painful subjects" of early
friendship and lasting gratitude. Recall only those when reminded of GUY
DARRELL.

CHAPTER XVIII.

NO COINAGE IN CIRCULATION SO FLUCTUATES IN VALUE AS THE WORTH OF A
MARRIAGEABLE MAN.

Colonel Morley was not surprised (that, we know, he could not be, by any
fresh experience of human waywardness and caprice), but much disturbed
and much vexed by the unexpected nature of Darrell's communication.
Schemes for Darrell's future lead become plans of his own. Talk with his
old school-fellow had, within the last three months, entered into the
pleasures of his age. Darrell's abrupt and final renunciation of this
social world made at once a void in the business of Alban's mind, and in
the affections of Alba