"Very. He is a year older than I am; and I remember you once told me I was bordering on my second childhood or something like it. However, in reality you will not find Chandos formidable. He has held his honors but a very short time. Last autumn he was only Captain Everett, with nothing to speak of beyond his pay, when fate in the shape of an unsound yacht sailed in, and, having drowned one old man and two young ones, pushed Everett into his present position." "What a romance! I suppose one ought to feel sorry for the three drowned men, but somehow I don't. With such a story connected with him, your friend ought to be both handsome and agreeable. Is he?" "I don't know. I would be afraid to say. You might take me to task and abuse me afterwards, if our opinions differed. You know _you_ think George Ashurst a very fascinating youth. Chandos is a wonderful favorite with women, if that has anything to do with it." "Of course it has--everything." "I have been thinking," says 'Duke, "that as a set-off to all the hospitality we have received from the county, we ought to give a ball." "A ball! Oh, delicious!" cry I, clapping my hands rapturously. "What has put such a glorious idea into your head? To dance to a band all down that great, big, ballroom! Oh, 'Duke! I am so glad I married you!" 'Duke laughs and colors slightly. "Are you, really? Do you mean that? Do you never repent it?" "Repent it? Never!--not for a single instant. How could I, when you are so good to me--when you are always thinking of things to make me happy?" "I am doubly, trebly rewarded for anything I may have done by hearing such words from your lips. To know you are 'glad you married me' is the next best thing to knowing you love me." "And so I do love you, you silly boy, I am very, very fond of you. Marmaduke, do you think you could get Billy here for the ball?" "I will try. I dare say I shall be able to manage it. And now run away and get Blanche Going to help you write out a list of people. She knows every one in the county, and is a capital hand at anything of that sort." "She seems to be a capital hand at most things," I reply, pettishly, "except at making herself agreeable to me. It is always Blanche Going can do this, and Blanche Going can do that. She is a paragon of perfection in your eyes, I do believe. I won't ask her to help me. I hate her." "Well ask any one else you like, then, or no one. But don't hate poor Blanche. What has she done to deserve it?" "Nothing. But I hate her for all that. I feel like a cat with its fur rubbed up the wrong way whenever I am near her. She has the happy knack of always making me feel small and foolish. I suppose we are antagonistic to each other. And why do you call her '_poor_ Blanche?' I don't see that she is in any need of your pity." "Have you not said she has incurred your displeasure? What greater misfortune could befall her?" says 'Duke, smiling tenderly into my cross little face. I relent and smile in turn.