and you a maiden lady, why, the will of heaven be done!  If you marry another, never mind who the man, there’s my stock to the fruit of the union, never mind what the sex.  But, if you will have one so unworthy of you as me, my hand and heart are at your feet, ma’am, as I have lost no time in coming to tell you.’  So Captain Bulsted concluded.  Our eyes were directed on my aunt.  The squire bade her to speak out, for she had his sanction to act according to her judgement and liking.

She said, with a gracefulness that gave me a little aching of pity for the poor captain:  ’I am deeply honoured by you, Captain Bulsted, but it is not my intention to marry.’

The captain stood up, and bowing humbly, replied ’I am ever your servant, ma’am.’

My aunt quitted the room.

‘Now for the tankard, Sewis,’ said the captain.

Gradually the bottom of the great tankard turned up to the ceiling.  He drank to the last drop in it.

The squire asked him whether he found consolation in that.

The captain sighed prodigiously and said:  ’It ‘s a commencement, sir.’

’Egad, it’s a commencement ’d be something like a final end to any dozen of our fellows round about here.  I’ll tell you what:  if stout stomachs gained the day in love-affairs, I suspect you’d run a good race against the male half of our county, William.  And a damned good test of a man’s metal, I say it is!  What are you going to do to-day?’

‘I am going to get drunk, sir.’

’Well, you might do worse.  Then, stop here, William, and give my old Port the preference.  No tongue in the morning, I promise you, and pleasant dreams at night.’  The captain thanked him cordially, but declined, saying that he would rather make a beast of himself in another place.

The squire vainly pressed his hospitality by assuring him of perfect secresy on our part, as regarded my aunt, and offering him Sewis and one of the footmen to lift him to bed.  ‘You are very good, squire,’ said the captain; ’nothing but a sense of duty restrains me.  I am bound to convey the information to my brother that the coast is clear for him.’

‘Well, then, fall light, and for’ard,’ said the squire, shaking him by the hand.  Forty years ago a gentleman, a baronet, had fallen on the back of his head and never recovered.

‘Ay, ay, launch stern foremost, if you like!’ said the captain, nodding; ’no, no, I don’t go into port pulled by the tail, my word for it, squire; and good day to you, sir.’

‘No ill will about this bothering love-business of yours, William?’

‘On my soul, sir, I cherish none.’

Temple and I followed him out of the house, fascinated by his manners and oddness.  He invited us to jump into the chariot beside him.  We were witnesses of the meeting between him and his brother, a little sniffling man, as like the captain as a withered nut is like a milky one.