next to the wife of my bosom the best of women.  Appreciate her, sir, or perish in my esteem.  She is one whom not to love is to be guilty of an offence deserving capital punishment, and a bastinado to season the culprit for his execution.  Have I not often informed her myself that a flower from her hand means more than treasures from the hands of others.  Expect me absent for a week.  The harangues will not be closely reported.  I stand by the truth, which is my love of the land of my birth.  A wife must come second to that if she would be first in her husband’s consideration.  Hurrah me on, Philip, now it is action, and let me fancy I hear you shouting it.’

The drop of the letter to the signature fluttered affectionately on a number of cordial adjectives, like the airy bird to his home in the corn.

CHAPTER XIX

MARS CONVALESCENT

Jane’s face was clear as the sky when she handed the letter back to Philip.  In doing so, it struck her that the prolonged directness of his look was peculiar:  she attributed it to some effect of the fresh Spring atmosphere on a weakened frame.  She was guessing at his reasons for showing her the letter, and they appeared possibly serious.

’An election to Parliament!  Perhaps Mrs. Adister should have a hint of it, to soften the shock I fear it may be:  but we must wait till her headache has passed,’ she said.

‘You read to the end?’ said Philip.

’Yes, Captain Con always amuses me, and I am bound to confess I have no positive disrelish of his compliments.  But this may prove a desperate step.  The secret of his happiness is in extreme jeopardy.  Nothing would stop him, I suppose?’

Philip signified that it was too late.  He was moreover of opinion, and stated it in his briefest, that it would be advisable to leave the unfolding of the present secret to the captain.

Jane wondered why the letter had been shown.  Her patient might be annoyed and needing sympathy?

‘After all,’ she said, ’Captain Con may turn out to be a very good sort of member of Parliament in his way.’

Philip’s eyebrows lifted, and he let fall a breath, eloquent of his thoughts.

’My brother says he is a serviceable director of the Company they are associated in.’

‘He finds himself among reasonable men, and he is a chameleon.’

‘Parliament may steady him.’

‘It is too much of a platform for Con’s head.’

‘Yes, there is more of poet than politician,’ said she.  ’That is a danger.  But he calls himself our friend; I think he really has a liking for John and me.’

‘For you he has a real love,’ said Philip.

’Well, then, he may listen to us at times; he may be trusted not to wound us.  I am unmitigatedly for the one country—­no divisions.  We want all our strength in these days of monstrous armies directed by banditti Councils.  England is the nation of the Christian example to nations.  Oh! surely it is her aim.  At least she strives to be that.  I think it, and I see the many faults we have.’