"The oddest thing in the midst of wars and alarms, when a kingdom is tottering to its base. I was sitting in my chamber--the one I had before, overlooking the Bay--writing a despatch to Ball, whom I mistook so at first, and have found to be a wonderful man since he has been at Malta, when Emma, who is the best-hearted creature alive, came in, more the coquette than I had ever known her. It may have been only my imagination that she was dressed with unwonted elegance. Certain I am that her clothes sat on her uncommon well, and she was arching her brows--excelled by no statue of antiquity in their perfect moulding. Her eyes were brimful of mischief, and little smiles of amusement were chasing each other round the lovely mouth, that was doing its best to be grave. "'Despatches,' I said warningly. "'Let me write them for you, Lord Left-hand,' she cried, leaning on my shoulder caressingly to capture my pen and read what I had written. This was all flat disobedience of orders, and she was trying to coax me into forgetting it. 'My dear Ball * * * With every kind wish to Foley, Gould and Waller, believe me ever your affectionate Nelson.' 'Capital,' she cried: 'is this Captain Gould of the _Audacious_?' "'The same.' "'Well, then you have to be the Ambassador--or the Ambassador's wife--and I am only going to be the Admiral giving orders. You know our good Miss Knight?' "'Her that wrote the new verse about me on to "God save the King" at my birthday ball?' "'The same.' "'What of her?' "'The very drollest thing has happened. It seems that her father, who, as you know, was a most respectable man--he died a Rear-Admiral and a Knight of the Bath, I think--had a cousin living at Taunton, who was a chimney-sweep or something of the kind. Well, he is dead too.' "'A good thing, I should think.' "'Uncommon better than you think.' "'Dear Emma,' I said, lifting my head to the rosy face at my shoulder, in doing which I touched her soft cheek, 'I think I never before heard you say an unkind thing, except when your temper is blazing, which I do not count against you. I had rather, I think, have kept my ideal.' "'Was there ever such an unreasonable man, to begrudge poor Miss Knight her good fortune?' "'What good fortune?' "'Five thousand golden guineas. The sweep has left her his fortune, which, with what she has, will make her between seven and eight thousand pounds.' "'I see.' "'And she has, I understand, for some time been receiving advances from Captain Gould, of the _Audacious_, which she is now in a position to gratify.' "'Miss Knight must be over fifty,' I said, half to myself. "'Who is unkind now?' asked Emma. "'I unkind? I was only thinking Gould is a young man.' "Emma was a diplomatist. She said nothing, so I had to say something, and asked: 'And I am to be the Ambassador who conveys----?' "'The match-maker,' she said softly, and then she tripped away.