"Yes, that's it," said Elbraham, eyeing her ladyship curiously. "Would not a lady do?" asked Lady Littletown. "To be sure she would!" said the financier. "Lookye here--does your ladyship want a hundred or two?" "Not to-morrow, dear Mr Elbraham; but my rents do not come in for another month, and I must confess to having been rather extravagant lately--I have had a great deal of company, and I thought I might-- might--might--what do you call it?" "Do a bill." "Yes, that's it--do a bill," said her ladyship, "if some kind friend would show me how." "It's done," said Elbraham. "What would you like--two-fifty?" "Well, yes," said her ladyship. "Better make it three hundred--looks better," said the financier. "But you are not to advance the money, dear Mr Elbraham. I could not take it of you." "All right; I shan't have anything to do with it. Someone in the City will send your ladyship a slip of paper to sign, and the cheque will come by the next post. I say, though, what did Clotilde say?" "Oh, I daren't tell you. Really, you know--pray don't press me--I couldn't confess. Dear Clotilde would be so angry if I betrayed her-- dear girl! I could not do that, you know." "Honour bright, I wouldn't say a word for the world." "Well, it's very shocking, you know, Elbraham, and I was quite astonished to hear her say it; but she is so innocent and girlish, and it came out so naturally that I forgave her." "But what did she say?" "Oh, dear child," she clapped her hands together with delight, and then covered her blushing face and cried, "Oh, Lady Littletown, I wish it was to-morrow!" "By Jingo!" exclaimed the financier to himself, "so do I!" Everybody being in the same mind, the wedding was hurried on. The trousseau was of the most splendid character, and Marie entered into the spirit of the affair with such eagerness that the sisters forbore to quarrel. Mr Montaigne came and went far more frequently, and seemed to bless his pupils in an almost apostolic fashion. "I would give much," he said, with a gentle, pious look of longing, "to be able to perform the ceremony which joins two loving hearts." But three eminent divines were to tie that knot, and even if Mr Paul Montaigne had been in holy orders according to the rites and ceremonies of the English Church, his services would not have been demanded, and he contented himself with smiling benignly and offering a few kindly words of advice. Miss Dymcox and the Honourable Isabella were rather at odds on the question of intimacy, and Captain Glen would have been religiously excluded from the precincts of Hampton Court Palace private apartments if the Honourable Philippa had had her way; but Lady Littletown took it as a matter of course that several of the officers of the barracks should be invited, to add _eclat_ to the proceedings, and as the Honourable Isabella sided with her, invitation-cards were sent, and, for reasons that Glen could not have explained to himself, were accepted.