“What on earth do you mean?” I asked.

“Why shouldn’t I take the bull by the horns and bring my mother and Lola together?”

I gasped.  “My dear boy,” said I.  “Do you want to kill me outright?  I can’t stand such shocks to the imagination.”

“But it would be grand!” he exclaimed, delighted.  “Why shouldn’t mother take a fancy to Lola?  You can imagine her roping her in for the committee!”

I refused to imagine it for one instant, and I had the greatest difficulty in the world to persuade him to renounce his maniacal project.  I am going to permit no further complications.

I have been busy for the past day or two setting my house in order.  I start to-morrow for Paris.  All my little affairs are comfortably settled, and I can set out on my little trip to Avernus via Paris and the habitat of Captain Vauvenarde with a quiet conscience.  I have allayed the anxiety of my sisters, whispered mysterious encouragement to Maisie Ellerton, held out hopes of her son’s emancipation to Lady Kynnersley, played fairy godmother to various poor and deserving persons, and brought myself into an enviable condition of glowing philanthropy.

To my great relief the Wymington committee have adopted Dale as their candidate at the by-election.  He can scarcely contain himself for joy.  He is like a child who has been told that he shall be taken to the seaside.  I believe he lies awake all night thinking how he will make things hum.

The other side have chosen Wilberforce, who unsuccessfully contested the Ferney division of Wiltshire at the last general election.  He is old and ugly.  Dale is young and beautiful.  I think Dale will get in.

I have said good-bye to Lola.  The astonishing woman burst into tears and kissed my hands and said something about my being the arbiter of her destiny—­a Gallic phrase which she must have picked up from Captain Vauvenarde.  Then she buried her face in the bristling neck of Adolphus, the Chow dog, and declared him to be her last remaining consolation.  Even Anastasius Papadopoulos had ceased to visit her.  I uttered words of comfort.

“I have left you Dale at any rate.”

She smiled enigmatically through her tears.

“I’m not ungrateful.  I don’t despise the crumbs.”

Which remark, now that I come to think of it, was not flattering to my young friend.

But what is the use of thinking of it?  My fire is burning low.  It is time I ended this portion of my “Rule and Example of Eumoiriety,” which, I fear, has not followed the philosophic line I originally intended.

The die is cast.  My things are packed.  Rogers, who likes his British beef and comforts, is resigned to the prospect of Continental travel, and has gone to bed hours ago.  There is no more soda water in the siphon.  I must go to bed.

Paris to-morrow.

CHAPTER X