“You do, do you, brother?”

“Yes.  However, keep up your spirits, Ursula, you are not much past the prime of youth, so—­”

“Not much past the prime of youth!  Don’t be uncivil, brother, I was only twenty-two last month.”

“Don’t be offended, Ursula, but twenty-two is twenty-two, or, I should rather say, that twenty-two in a woman is more than twenty-six in a man.  You are still very beautiful, but I advise you to accept the first offer that’s made to you.”

“Thank you, brother, but your advice comes rather late; I accepted the first offer that was made me five years ago.”

“You married five years ago, Ursula! is it possible?”

“Quite possible, brother, I assure you.”

“And how came I to know nothing about it?”

“How comes it that you don’t know many thousand things about the Romans, brother?  Do you think they tell you all their affairs?”

“Married, Ursula, married! well, I declare!”

“You seem disappointed, brother.”

“Disappointed!  Oh! no, not at all; but Jasper, only a few weeks ago, told me that you were not married; and, indeed, almost gave me to understand that you would be very glad to get a husband.”

“And you believed him?  I’ll tell you, brother, for your instruction, that there is not in the whole world a greater liar than Jasper Petulengro.”

“I am sorry to hear it, Ursula; but with respect to him you married—­who might he be?  A gorgio, or a Romany chal?”

“Gorgio, or Romany chal!  Do you think I would ever condescend to a gorgio!  It was a Camomescro, brother, a Lovell, a distant relation of my own.”

“And where is he? and what became of him!  Have you any family?”

“Don’t think I am going to tell you all my history, brother; and, to tell you the truth, I am tired of sitting under hedges with you, talking nonsense.  I shall go to my house.”

“Do sit a little longer, sister Ursula.  I most heartily congratulate you on your marriage.  But where is this same Lovell?  I have never seen him:  I wish to congratulate him too.  You are quite as handsome as the Meridiana of Pulci, Ursula, ay, or the Despina of Riciardetto.  Riciardetto, Ursula, is a poem written by one Fortiguerra, about ninety years ago, in imitation of the Morgante of Pulci.  It treats of the wars of Charlemagne and his Paladins with various barbarous nations, who came to besiege Paris.  Despina was the daughter and heiress of Scricca, King of Cafria; she was the beloved of Riciardetto, and was beautiful as an angel; but I make no doubt you are quite as handsome as she.”

“Brother,” said Ursula—­but the reply of Ursula I reserve for another chapter, the present having attained to rather an uncommon length, for which, however, the importance of the matter discussed is a sufficient apology.

CHAPTER XI