‘About those three or four gentlemen whom you wish to invite here?’

’Oh! my attendant knights! no, indeed; you gave me such very slight hope of success; besides, you said something about my not wanting them.’

’Yes I did; I really think they’d be quite unnecessary.  If you should want any one to defend you—­’

‘At these coming elections, for instance.’

’Then, or at any other time, there are plenty here who will be ready to stand up for you.’

’Plenty!  I don’t want plenty:  one good lance in the olden days was always worth more than a score of ordinary men-at-arms.’

‘But you talked about three or four.’

’Yes; but then you see, Mr Gresham, I have never yet found the one good lance—­at least, not good enough to suit my ideas of true prowess.’

What could Frank do but declare that he was ready to lay his own in rest, now and always in her behalf?

His aunt had been quite angry with him, and had thought that he turned her into ridicule, when he spoke of making an offer to her guest that very evening; and yet here he was so placed that he had hardly an alternative.  Let his inward resolution to abjure the heiress be ever so strong, he was now in a position which allowed him no choice in the matter.  Even Mary Thorne could hardly have blamed him for saying, that so far as his own prowess went, it was quite at Miss Dunstable’s service.  Had Mary been looking on, she perhaps, might have thought that he could have done so with less of that look of devotion which he threw into his eyes.

‘Well, Mr Gresham, that’s very civil—­very civil indeed,’ said Miss Dunstable.  ’Upon my word, if a lady wanted a true knight she might do worse than trust to you.  Only I fear that your courage is of so exalted a nature that you would be ever ready to do battle for any beauty that might be in distress—­or, indeed, who might not.  You could never confine your valour to the protection of one maiden.’

‘Oh, yes! but I would though if I liked her,’ said Frank.  ’There isn’t a more constant fellow in the world than I am in that way—­you try me, Miss Dunstable.’

’When young ladies make such trials as that, they sometimes find it too late to go back if the trial doesn’t succeed, Mr Gresham.’

’Oh, of course, there’s always some risk.  It’s like hunting; there would be no fun if there was no danger.’

’But if you get a tumble one day you can retrieve your honour the next; but a poor girl if she once trusts a man who says that he loves her, has no such chance.  For myself, I would never listen to a man unless I’d known him for seven years at least.’

‘Seven years!’ said Frank, who could not help thinking that in seven years’ time Miss Dunstable would be almost an old woman.  ’Seven days is enough to know any person.’

‘Or perhaps seven hours; eh, Mr Gresham?’

’Seven hours—­well, perhaps seven hours, if they happen to be a good deal together during that time.’