Everything looked the same, except himself, for he was bronzed and worn, and his countenance displayed a scar. But he was as brightly dressed as on the day he called to say fare well, for he had had to attend at the admiral's to give an account of his proceedings, and had found, to his surprise, that not only was the loss of his ship condoned by the complete rooting out of the buccaneers, but he had been promoted, and was shortly to engage in another expedition, this time to the East. Saint James's Square looked just as of old, and the same servant opened to his hasty knock and met him with a smile. He had come without sending notice, and he had made no inquiry since his landing, telling himself that it was better so; and now, strung up for his painful task, he strode into the great marble-paved hall. "Ask Lady Jenny if she will see me--a private interview," he said to the ponderous old butler who came forward as the footman closed the door. "Lady Jenny, sir? The countess is at the lakes with his lordship." "The countess! I said Lady Jenny." "Yes, sir," said the old butler with a smile. "We always speak of her young ladyship now as the countess." "The countess! Why, you don't mean--" "Yes, sir; she was married to the Earl of Winterleyton a year ago, sir. His lordship's town house is a hundred and ten Queen Square, and Hallybury, Bassenthwaite, sir." "Oh!" said Humphrey, calmly; "I have been to the West Indies, and had not heard the news." He nodded good-humouredly to the old butler, and went off across the square. "Now, it's my belief," said the old butler, "that he's another on 'em as her young ladyship was always a-leading on!" "Thank Heaven!" said Humphrey, with a sigh of relief; and he went and behaved like an Englishman, for he walked straight to his club, ordered his dinner, and for the first time for months thoroughly enjoyed it; while as he sat afterwards over the remains of his bottle of fine old Carbonell port--a wine that was likely to restore some of the lost blood to his veins--he filled his glass slowly, thought of his next expedition, and that it with its earnest work would be the best remedy for a mind diseased, and made up his mind that if he could persuade him to leave his newly-made wife he would have Dinny for one of his men. "And old Bart, too, if he will serve," he said half aloud. Then two or three times over, as a pretty, powdered-and-painted image, all silk and gewgaws and flowers, filled his imagination, "What a release! Thank Heaven!"