“Who do you say that Frenchman is?” he whispered to his brother-in-law, as Vaudemont turned away. “Oh! a cleverish sort of adventurer--a gentleman; he plays.--He has seen a good deal of the world--he rather amuses me--different from other people. I think of asking him to join our circle at Beaufort Court.” Mr. Beaufort coughed huskily, but not seeing any reasonable objection to the proposal, and afraid of rousing the sleeping hyaena of Lord Lilburne’s sarcasm, he merely said:-- “Any one you like to invite:” and looking round for some one on whom to vent his displeasure, perceived Camilla still listening to Liancourt. He stalked up to her, and as Liancourt, seeing her rise, rose also and moved away, he said peevishly, “You will never learn to conduct yourself properly; you are to be left here to nurse and comfort your uncle, and not to listen to the gibberish of every French adventurer. Well, Heaven be praised, I have a son--girls are a great plague!” “So they are, Mr. Beaufort,” sighed his wife, who had just joined him, and who was jealous of the preference Lilburne had given to her daughter. “And so selfish,” added Mrs. Beaufort; “they only care for their own amusements, and never mind how uncomfortable their parents are for want of them.” “Oh! dear mamma, don’t say so--let me go home with you--I’ll speak to my uncle!” “Nonsense, child! Come along, Mr. Beaufort;” and the affectionate parents went out arm in arm. They did not perceive that Vaudemont had been standing close behind them; but Camilla, now looking up with tears in her eyes, again caught his gaze: he had heard all. “And they ill-treat her,” he muttered: “that divides her from them!--she will be left here--I shall see her again.” As he turned to depart, Lilburne beckoned to him. “You do not mean to desert our table?” “No: but I am not very well to-night--to-morrow, if you will allow me.” “Ay, to-morrow; and if you can spare an hour in the morning it will be a charity. You see,” he added in a whisper, “I have a nurse, though I have no children. D’ye think that’s love? Bah! sir--a legacy! Good night.” “No--no--no!” said Vaudemont to himself, as he walked through the moonlit streets. “No! though my heart burns,--poor murdered felon!--to avenge thy wrongs and thy crimes, revenge cannot come from me--he is Fanny’s grandfather and--Camilla’s uncle!”