Polly thrust the notes into her bosom, and with a toss of her nose, as who should say, ’Here ’s nonsense they ‘re at again,’ tapped Susan on the other shoulder, and said imperiously:  ‘Come, Miss!’

Hurrying out a dozen sentences in one, Harry ended by suddenly kissing Susan’s cheek, and then Polly bore her away; and Harry, with great solemnity, said to Evan: 

’’Pon my honour, I think I ought to!  I declare I think I love that girl.  What’s one’s family?  Why shouldn’t you button to the one that just suits you?  That girl, when she’s dressed, and in good trim, by Jove! nobody ’d know her from a born lady.  And as for grammar, I’d soon teach her that.’

Harry began to whistle:  a sign in him that he was thinking his hardest.

‘I confess to being considerably impressed by the maid Wheedle,’ said Raikes.

‘Would you throw yourself away on her?’ Evan inquired.

Apparently forgetting how he stood, Mr. Raikes replied: 

’You ask, perhaps, a little too much of me.  One owes consideration to one’s position.  In the world’s eyes a matrimonial slip outweighs a peccadillo.  No.  To much the maid might wheedle me, but to Hymen!  She’s decidedly fresh and pert—­the most delicious little fat lips and cocky nose; but cease we to dwell on her, or of us two, to! one will be undone.’

Harry burst into a laugh:  ‘Is this the T.P. for Fallow field?’

‘M.P.  I think you mean,’ quoth Raikes, serenely; but a curious glance being directed on him, and pursuing him pertinaciously, it was as if the pediment of the lofty monument he topped were smitten with violence.  He stammered an excuse, and retreated somewhat as it is the fashion to do from the presence of royalty, followed by Harry’s roar of laughter, in which Evan cruelly joined.

‘Gracious powers!’ exclaimed the victim of ambition, ’I’m laughed at by the son of a tailor!’ and he edged once more into the shade of trees.

It was a strange sight for Harry’s relatives to see him arm-in-arm with the man he should have been kicking, challenging, denouncing, or whatever the code prescribes:  to see him talking to this young man earnestly, clinging to him affectionately, and when he separated from him, heartily wringing his hand.  Well might they think that there was something extraordinary in these Harringtons.  Convicted of Tailordom, these Harringtons appeared to shine with double lustre.  How was it?  They were at a loss to say.  They certainly could say that the Countess was egregiously affected and vulgar; but who could be altogether complacent and sincere that had to fight so hard a fight?  In this struggle with society I see one of the instances where success is entirely to be honoured and remains a proof of merit.  For however boldly antagonism may storm the ranks of society, it will certainly be repelled, whereas affinity cannot be resisted; and they who, against obstacles of birth, claim and keep their position among the educated and refined, have that affinity.  It is, on the whole, rare, so that society is not often invaded.  I think it will have to front Jack Cade again before another Old Mel and his progeny shall appear.  You refuse to believe in Old Mel?  You know not nature’s cunning.