“Yes, yes, my boy, of course; come into my sanctum at once.” He led the way to the luxuriously appointed library, where a cheerful fire in the grate toned the chill air to just the right temperature, and gave the lofty, beautiful room an appearance of homelike comfort. “Well, now, what is it, Ad?” the old man asked, familiarly, as he threw himself into his easy-chair, and bent a look of pride upon the young lover’s handsome, animated face. Adrian colored, but, coming to the point at once said: “Sir, I desire your permission to marry.” “Bless my soul, my boy! What’s this?” and he sat up and stared at his grandson for a moment, as if he had never thought of such a thing before in connection with him. “Well, well,” he added the next; “you took me rather by surprise; that’s a fact; but, after all, you couldn’t please me better. Aha! that accounts for your hurry to get back to London, doesn’t it?” “Yes—no,” replied Adrian, somewhat confused, and yet half-laughing at his grandfather’s comical surprise and ready acquiescence to his request. “Yes—no,” repeated his lordship, with a merry twinkle in his eye; “that is rather a doubtful reply. But, seriously, Adrian, my boy, nothing would give me greater satisfaction than to see you settled in life; and I have no doubt but that the lady of your choice is in every way desirable.” “She is, sir, a perfect lady, highly educated and accomplished, and there never was, in my opinion, a more beautiful Countess of Dunforth than she will make,” returned the ardent lover, who felt that everything was progressing finely. “Yes, yes; that is always so with lovers. I remember——” What he remembered he did not say, but his face grew wan and sad, as he suddenly checked himself. Then he resumed, more gravely: “The lady is of good birth, of course?” “Yes, sir, excellent,” Adrian returned, recalling what his friend Gordon had said about Miss Mehetabel’s “family tree.” Then he added: “But misfortune of a very serious nature has deprived her during the last six or eight months of all her property, and death of her last friend.” “That is bad, truly, my boy; but, then, you will have enough, and to spare, and I would be the last one to put anything in the way of your happiness for the lack of filthy lucre. You love the lady, of course?” and he searched the noble face that he loved so well. “As my own life!” Adrian said, earnestly. “Ah! you have been a sly dog to get so far as this and we never suspected it. Who is the fair inamorata?” “You would not deem it anything out of the way, I presume, sir, if a lady of good birth should be reduced to the necessity of becoming a governess or a companion?” Adrian asked, ignoring the question, and determined to lay all the facts before his grandfather before telling his darling’s name. “Zounds, Adrian! Has it been so bad as that in the case of your ladylove?” “Yes, sir.”