‘St. Ives,’ he said at last, ’I think I had better go away.  This has been very irritating.  I never at all meant to say anything of the kind, and I apologise to you.  I have all the esteem for you that one gentleman should have for another.  I only meant to tell you—­to show you what had influenced my mind; and that, in short, the thing was impossible.  One thing you may be quite sure of:  I shall do nothing against you.  Will you shake hands before I go away?’ he blurted out.

‘Yes,’ said I, ’I agree with you—­the interview has been irritating.  Let bygones be bygones.  Good-bye, Ronald.’

‘Good-bye, St. Ives!’ he returned.  ‘I’m heartily sorry.’

And with that he was gone.

The windows of my own sitting-room looked towards the north; but the entrance passage drew its light from the direction of the square.  Hence I was able to observe Ronald’s departure, his very disheartened gait, and the fact that he was joined, about half-way, by no less a man than Major Chevenix.  At this, I could scarce keep from smiling; so unpalatable an interview must be before the pair of them, and I could hear their voices, clashing like crossed swords, in that eternal antiphony of ‘I told you,’ and ’I told you not.’  Without doubt, they had gained very little by their visit; but then I had gained less than nothing, and had been bitterly dispirited into the bargain.  Ronald had stuck to his guns and refused me to the last.  It was no news; but, on the other hand, it could not be contorted into good news.  I was now certain that during my temporary absence in France, all irons would be put into the fire, and the world turned upside down, to make Flora disown the obtrusive Frenchman and accept Chevenix.  Without doubt she would resist these instances:  but the thought of them did not please me, and I felt she should be warned and prepared for the battle.

It was no use to try and see her now, but I promised myself early that evening to return to Swanston.  In the meantime I had to make all my preparations, and look the coming journey in the face.  Here in Edinburgh I was within four miles of the sea, yet the business of approaching random fishermen with my hat in the one hand and a knife in the other, appeared so desperate, that I saw nothing for it but to retrace my steps over the northern counties, and knock a second time at the doors of Birchell Fenn.  To do this, money would be necessary; and after leaving my paper in the hands of Flora I had still a balance of about fifteen hundred pounds.  Or rather I may say I had them and I had them not; for after my luncheon with Mr. Robbie I had placed the amount, all but thirty pounds of change, in a bank in George Street, on a deposit receipt in the name of Mr. Rowley.  This I had designed to be my gift to him, in case I must suddenly depart.  But now, thinking better of the arrangement, I despatched my little man, cockade and all, to lift the fifteen hundred.