"There is an old proverb I should like to recommend to you," said Sir Frank Euston; "it is this--a young man married is a young man marred." "I am quite as willing to be marred as to be married," said the young lord, "and married I will be if all the powers on earth conspire against me." "I know how useless all arguments are," said his friend, "when a man determines to be foolish; but do think for one moment of the terrible disappointment to your parents." "I do not see it; they have no right to be disappointed; my father married to please himself, why should I not do the same?" "You are outraging all the laws of your class," said Sir Frank. "However beautiful a farmer's niece may be, we cannot suppose even a miracle could fit her to take the place of the Countess of Lanswell." A hot flush came over the young lord's face; a strange quiet came into his voice. "We will discuss what you like, Frank, but you must not touch the young lady's name, we will leave that out of the question." "You have asked me to be the witness of your marriage," said Sir Frank, "and that entitles me to speak my mind. I do speak it, frankly, honestly, plainly, as I should thank God for any friend to speak to a brother of my own if he felt inclined to make a simpleton of himself." "I call myself a sensible man to marry for love, not a simpleton," said Lord Chandos grandly. "My dear Lance," said his friend, "you make just this one mistake; you are not a man at all, you are a boy." He stopped suddenly, for the young lord looked at him with a defiant, fierce face. "You must not say that again, Frank, or we shall be friends no longer." "I do not want to offend you, Lance; but you are really too young to think of marriage. Your tastes are not formed yet; that which pleases you now you will dislike in six or ten years' time. I assure you that if you marry this farmer's niece now, in ten years' time you will repent it in sackcloth and ashes. She is not fit, either by manner, education, or anything else, to be your mother's daughter, and you know it; you know that when the glamour of her beauty is over you will wonder at your own madness and folly. Be warned in time." "You may as well reason with a madman as a man in love," said the young lordling, "and I am in love." "And you are mad," said Sir Frank, quietly; "one day you will know how mad." Lord Chandos laughed. "There is method in my madness. Come, Frank, we have been such friends I would do anything you asked me." "I should never ask you to do anything so foolish, Lance; I wish that I had not given my word of honor to keep your secret; I am quite sure that I ought to send word to the earl and countess at once; I cannot, as I have promised not to do so, but I regret it."