“No trouble in the world. Only I want to beg you’ll keep our secret--my Lady Geraldine’s secret.” “Undoubtedly, madam--a man of honour--Lady Geraldine cannot doubt--her ladyship’s secret is perfectly safe.” “But do you know it? You don’t know it yet, my lord.” “Pardon me; I was on the steps just now. I thought you saw me.” “I did, my lord--but I don’t understand----” “Nor I, neither,” interrupted I, half laughing; for I began to think I was mistaken in my suspicions; “pray explain yourself, my dear Miss Bland: I was very rude to be so quick in interrupting you.” Miss Bland then made me the confidant of a charming scheme of Lady Geraldine’s for quizzing Miss Tracey. “She has never in her life seen Lord Craiglethorpe, who is an English lord travelling through Ireland,” continued Miss Bland. “Now, you must know, that Miss Tracey is passionately fond of lords, let them be what they may. Now, Lord Craiglethorpe, this very morning, sent his groom with a note and excuse to Lady Ormsby, for not coming to us to-day; because, he said, he was bringing down in the chaise with him a surveyor, to survey his estate _near here_; and he could not possibly think of bringing the surveyor, who is a low man, to Ormsby Villa. But Lady Ormsby would take no apology, and wrote by the groom to beg that Lord Craiglethorpe would make no scruple of bringing the surveyor; for you know she is so polite and accommodating, and all that. Well, the note was scarcely gone, before Lady Geraldine thought of her charming scheme, and regretted, _of all things_, she had not put _it_ into it.” “_It into it!_” repeated I to myself. “Ma’am,” said I, looking a little bewildered. “But,” continued my clear narrator, “I promised to remedy _all that_, by running to meet the carriage, which was what I ran for when you saw me, my lord, in such a hurry.” I bowed--and was as wise as ever. “So, my lord, you comprehend, that the surveyor, whose name, whose odious name, is Gabbitt, is to be my Lord Craiglethorpe, and my Lord Craiglethorpe is to be passed for Mr. Gabbitt upon Miss Tracey; and, you will see, Miss Tracey will admire Mr. Gabbitt prodigiously, and call him vastly genteel, when she thinks him a lord. Your lordship will keep our secret; and she is sure Lord Craiglethorpe will do any thing to oblige her, because he is a near connexion of hers. But, I assure you, it is not every body could get Lord Craiglethorpe to join in a joke; for he is very stiff, and cold, and high. Of course your lordship will know which is the real lord at first sight. He is a full head taller than Gabbitt.” Never was explanation finally more satisfactory: and whether the jest was really well contrived and executed, or whether I was put into a humour to think so, I cannot exactly determine; but, I confess, I was amused with the scenes that followed, though I felt that they were not quite justifiable even in jest.