Chapter 25 - Page 2

have listened to reason," said the Marquis;
"he is rather unwilling to leave his place, which, in the present view
of a change, must be vacated; and, to say truth, he seemed to have
a liking for you, and to be sensible of the general advantages to be
attained by such a match. But his lady, who is tongue of the trump,
Master----"

"What of Lady Ashton, my lord?" said Ravenswood; "let me know the issue
of this extraordinary conference: I can bear it."

"I am glad of that, kinsman," said the Marquis, "for I am ashamed to
tell you half what she said. It is enough--her mind is made up, and the
mistress of a first-rate boarding-school could not have rejected
with more haughty indifference the suit of a half-pay Irish officer,
beseeching permission to wait upon the heiress of a West India planter,
than Lady Ashton spurned every proposal of mediation which it could at
all become me to offer in behalf of you, my good kinsman. I cannot guess
what she means. A more honourable connexion she could not form, that's
certain. As for money and land, that used to be her husband's business
rather than hers; I really think she hates you for having the rank
which her husband has not, and perhaps for not having the lands that her
goodman has. But I should only vex you to say more about it--here we are
at the change-house."

The Master of Ravenswood paused as he entered the cottage, which reeked
through all its crevices, and they were not few, from the exertions of
the Marquis's travelling-cooks to supply good cheer, and spread, as it
were, a table in the wilderness.

"My Lord Marquis," said Ravenswood, "I already mentioned that accident
has put your lordship in possession of a secret which, with my consent,
should have remained one even to you, my kinsman, for some time. Since
the secret was to part from my own custody, and that of the only person
besides who was interested in it, I am not sorry it should have reached
your lordship's ears, as being fully aware that you are my noble kinsman
and friend."

"You may believe it is safely lodged with me, Master of Ravenswood,"
said the Marquis; "but I should like well to hear you say that you
renounced the idea of an alliance which you can hardly pursue without a
certain degree of degradation."

"Of that, my lord, I shall judge," answered Ravenswood, "and I hope with
delicacy as sensitive as any of my friends. But I have no engagement
with Sir William and Lady Ashton. It is with Miss Ashton alone that I
have entered upon the subject, and my conduct in the matter shall be
entirely ruled by hers. If she continues to prefer me in my poverty to
the