‘Yes, sir; and yesterday I got a letter from him. Such a nice letter, sir--no complainings, no reproaches for my running away; but all sorts of good wishes for my happiness. He owns he was sorry to have ever thought of the stage for me; but he says this lawsuit he is engaged in about his grandfather’s will may last for years, and that he knew I was so certain of a great success, and that a great success means more than mere money, he fancied that in my triumph he would reap the recompense for his own disasters. He is now, however, far happier that I have found a home, a real home, and says, “Tell my lord I am heartily ashamed of all my rudeness with regard to him, and would willingly make a pilgrimage to the end of Europe to ask his pardon”; and say besides that “when I shall be restored to the fortune and rank of my ancestors”--you know,’ added she, ‘he is a prince--“my first act will be to throw myself at his feet, and beg to be forgiven by him.”’ ‘What is the property? is it land?’ asked he, with the half-suspectfulness of one not fully assured of what he was listening to. ‘Yes, sir; the estate is in Delos. I have seen the plan of the grounds and gardens of the palace, which are princely. Here, on this seal,’ said she, showing the envelope of her letter, ‘you can see the arms; papa never omits to use it, though on his card he is written only “of the princes”--a form observed with us.’ ‘And what chance has he of getting it all back again?’ ‘That is more than I can tell you; he himself is sometimes very confident, and talks as if there could not be a doubt of it.’ ‘Used your poor mother to believe it?’ asked he, half-tremulously. ‘I can scarcely say, sir; I can barely remember her; but I have heard papa blame her for not interesting her high connections in England in his suit; he often thought that a word to the ambassador at Athens would have almost decided the case.’ ‘High connections, indeed!’ burst he forth. ‘By my conscience, they’re pretty much out at elbows, like himself; and if we were trying to recover our own right to-morrow, the look-out would be bleak enough!’ ‘Papa is not easily cast down, sir; he has a very sanguine spirit.’ ‘Maybe you think it’s what is wanting in my case, eh, Nina? Say it out, girl; tell me, I’d be the better for a little of your father’s hopefulness, eh?’ ‘You could not change to anything I could like better than what you are,’ said she, taking his hand and kissing it. ‘Ah, you ‘re a rare one to say coaxing things,’ said he, looking fondly on her. ‘I believe you’d be the best advocate for either of us if the courts would let you plead for us.’ ‘I wish they would, sir,’ said she proudly. ‘What is that?’ cried he suddenly; ‘sure it’s not putting myself you are in the picture!’