‘Now, look you here, young man.’  He squared his finger before Evan, eyeing him under a hard frown, ’You have been playing your game again, as you did down at that place in Hampshire.  I heard of it—­deserved to be shot, by heaven!  You think you have got hold of the Duke, and you throw me over.  You imagine, I dare say, that I will allow my wife to be talked about to further your interests—­you self-seeking young dog!  As long as he lent the Company his name, I permitted a great many things.  Do you think me a blind idiot, sir?  But now she must learn to be satisfied with people who ’ve got no titles, or carriages, and who can’t give hundred guinea compliments.  You’re all of a piece-a set of . . .’

The Major paused, for half a word was on his mouth which had drawn lightning to Evan’s eyes.

Not to be baffled, he added:  ’But look you, sir.  I may be ruined.  I dare say the Company will go to the dogs—­every ass will follow a Duke.  But, mark, this goes on no more.  I will be no woman’s tally.  Mind, sir, I take excellent care that you don’t traffic in your sister!’

The Major delivered this culminating remark with a well-timed deflection of his forefinger, and slightly turned aside when he had done.

You might have seen Evan’s figure rocking, as he stood with his eyes steadily levelled on his sister’s husband.

The Major, who, whatever he was, was physically no coward, did not fail to interpret the look, and challenge it.

Evan walked to the door, opened it, and said, between his teeth, ’You must go at once.’

‘Eh, sir, eh? what’s this?’ exclaimed the warrior but the door was open, Mr. Goren was in the shop; the scandal of an assault in such a house, and the consequent possibility of his matrimonial alliance becoming bruited in the newspapers, held his arm after it had given an involuntary jerk.  He marched through with becoming dignity, and marched out into the street; and if necks unelastic and heads erect may be taken as the sign of a proud soul and of nobility of mind, my artist has the Major for his model.

Evan displayed no such a presence.  He returned to the little parlour, shut and locked the door to the shop, and forgetting that one was near, sat down, covered his eyes, and gave way to a fit of tearless sobbing.  With one foot in the room Caroline hung watching him.  A pain that she had never known wrung her nerves.  His whole manhood seemed to be shaken, as if by regular pulsations of intensest misery.  She stood in awe of the sight till her limbs failed her, and then staggering to him she fell on her knees, clasping his, passionately kissing them.

CHAPTER XL.

IN WHICH THE COUNTESS STILL SCENTS GAME