"Oh, you do me too much honour--indeed you do. I only know the general principles of agriculture--the details are eminently interesting; but I have not had the opportunity to acquire them." "Stuff!" cried the Squire. "How can a man know general principles unless he has first studied the details? You are too modest, my boy. Ho! there's Stirn looking out for us!" Randal saw the grim visage of Stirn peering out of a cattle-shed, and felt undone. He made a desperate rush towards changing the Squire's humour. "Well, sir, perhaps Frank may soon gratify your wish and turn farmer himself." "Eh!" quoth the Squire, stopping short. "What now?" "Suppose he was to marry?" "I'd give him the two best farms on the property rent free. Ha, ha! Has he seen the girl yet? I'd leave him free to choose, sir. I chose for myself--every man should. Not but what Miss Sticktorights is an heiress, and, I hear, a very decent girl, and that would join the two properties, and put an end to that lawsuit about the right of way, which began in the reign of King Charles the Second, and is likely otherwise to last till the day of judgment. But never mind her; let Frank choose to please himself." "I'll not fail to tell him so, sir. I did fear you might have some prejudices. But here we are at the farm-yard." "Burn the farm-yard! How can I think of farm-yards when you talk of Frank's marriage? Come on--this way. What were you saying about prejudices?" "Why, you might wish him to marry an Englishwoman, for instance." "English! Good heavens, sir, does he mean to marry a Hindoo?" "Nay, I don't know that he means to marry at all: I am only surmising; but if he did fall in love with a foreigner--" "A foreigner! Ah, then Harry was--" The Squire stopped short. "Who might, perhaps," observed Randal--not truly if he referred to Madame di Negra--"who might, perhaps, speak very little English?" "Lord ha' mercy!" "And a Roman Catholic--" "Worshipping idols, and roasting people who don't worship them." "Signior Riccabocca is not so bad as that." "Rickeybockey! Well, if it was his daughter! But not speak English! and not go to the parish church! By George! if Frank thought of such a thing, I'd cut him off with a shilling. Don't talk to me, sir; I would. I'm a mild man, and an easy man; but when I say a thing, I say it, Mr. Leslie. Oh, but it is a jest--you are laughing at me. There's no such painted, good-for-nothing creature in Frank's eye, eh?" "Indeed, sir, if ever I find there is, I will give you notice in time. At present I was only trying to ascertain what you wished for a daughter-in-law. You said you had no prejudice." "No more I have--not a bit of it." "You don't like a foreigner and a Catholic?" "Who the devil would?" "But if she had rank and title?"