"Thousands," said I, "only--" I turned the end of my cigar around to see if the light had proved effective. "Only what?" "Only she won't have them." "Then there is really a chance?" "When a woman is not married there is always a chance," said I, wisely. "But let me tell you, cousin mine, she has a very high ideal. The man who wins her must be little less than a demigod and a little more than a man. Indeed, her ideal is so high that I did not reach it by a good foot." Pembroke looked surprised. "She--ah--rejected--" "I did not say that I had proposed to her," said I. "If you haven't, why haven't you?" "It is strange." As his face assumed an anxious tinge, I laughed. "My dear relative, go ahead and win her, if you can; you have my best wishes. She is nothing to me. There was a time--ah, well, we all can look back and say that. If it isn't one woman it's another." Sunshine came into Pembroke's face again. "Ideal or not ideal, I am going to make the effort." "Success to you!" patting his shoulder. He was good to look at, and it was my opinion that Phyllis might do worse. We miss a good deal in this world by being over particular. We were coming into Trafalgar. Nelson stood high up in the yellow fog. "Nature is less gracious than history sometimes," mused Pembroke, gazing up. "She is doing her best to dull the lustre of the old gentleman. Ah, those were days when they had men." "We have them still," said I. "It is not the men, but the opportunities, which are lacking." "Perhaps that is so. Yet, it is the great man who makes them." I was thinking of Hillars. "I would give a good deal for a regiment and a bad moment for our side." There was no mighty column in his memory, scarcely a roll of earth. "What do you want to do?" I asked. "Shall we hail a cab and drive to the park?" "Just as you say, if it is not interfering with your work." "Not at all." "Have a cigar," said Pembroke, after we had climbed into the cab and arranged our long legs comfortably. The London cab is all very well for a short and thin person. "These came to me directly from Key West." "That is one of the joys of being rich," said I. "Gold is Aladdin's lamp. I have to take my chances on getting good tobacco in this country." "Talking about gold--" he began. "Don't!" I entreated. "I was about to say that I drew on my bankers for 20,000 pounds this morning." "You intend to go in for a figure abroad, then?" "Oh, no. I deposited the money in another bank--in your name." "Mine? Deposited 20,000 pounds in my name?" I gasped. "Just so." "I understood you to say, because you thought me to be a gentleman, that you weren't going to do anything like this? Have I done something to change your opinion?"