“A lady!” he cried.  “Here?  Impossible!” And he looked at his clothes.

“Who cares more for your heart than your appearance,” I answered gayly, and led him into the office.

At sight of Dorothy he stopped abruptly, confounded, as a man who sees a diamond in a dust-heap.  And a glow came over me as I said: 

“Miss Manners, here is Captain Paul, to whose courage and unselfishness I owe everything.”

“Captain,” said Dorothy, graciously extending her hand, “Richard has many friends.  You have put us all in your debt, and none deeper than his old playmate.”

The captain fairly devoured her with his eyes as she made him a curtsey.  But he was never lacking in gallantry, and was as brave on such occasions as when all the dangers of the deep threatened him.  With an elaborate movement he took Miss Manners’s fingers and kissed them, and then swept the floor with a bow.

“To have such a divinity in my debt, madam, is too much happiness for one man,” he said.  “I have done nothing to merit it.  A lifetime were all too short to pay for such a favour.”

I had almost forgotten Miss Dolly the wayward, the mischievous.  But she was before me now, her eyes sparkling, and biting her lips to keep down her laughter.  Comyn turned to fleck the window with his handkerchief, while I was not a little put out at their mirth.  But if John Paul observed it, he gave no sign.

“Captain, I vow your manners are worthy of a Frenchman,” said my Lord; “and yet I am given to understand you are a Scotchman.”

A shadow crossed the captain’s face.

“I was, sir,” he said.

“You were!” exclaimed Comyn, astonished; “and pray, what are you now, sir?”

“Henceforth, my Lord,” John Paul replied with vast ceremony:  “I am an American, the compatriot of the beautiful Miss Manners!”

“One thing I’ll warrant, captain,” said his Lordship, “that you are a wit.”

RICHARD CARVEL

By Winston Churchill

Volume 5.

XXVI.  The Part Horatio played
XXVII.  In which I am sore tempted
XXVIII.  Arlington Street
XXIX.  I meet a very Great Young Man
XXX.  A Conspiracy
XXXI.  “Upstairs into the World”
XXXII.  Lady Tankerville’s Drum-major
XXXIII.  Drury Lane

CHAPTER XXVI

THE PART HORATIO PLAYED

The bailiff’s business was quickly settled.  I heard the heavy doors close at our backs, and drew a deep draught of the air God has made for all His creatures alike.  Both the captain and I turned to the windows to wave a farewell to the sad ones we were leaving behind, who gathered about the bars for a last view of us, for strange as it may seem, the mere sight of happiness is often a pleasure for those who are sad.  A coach in private arms and livery was in waiting, surrounded by a crowd.  They made a lane for us to pass, and stared at the young lady of queenly beauty coming out of the sponging-house until the coachman snapped his whip in their faces and the footman jostled them back.  When we were got in, Dolly and I on the back seat, Comyn told the man to go to Mr. Manners’s.