A slight emphasis upon the I—so slight as scarce to seem intended—was perhaps what drew from the other lady the answer: “Don’t be too sure of the young fellow’s constancy. You know, Diana dear, you always have been somewhat credulous of men’s constancy—’tis your own fidelity makes you trustful, of course.” “Doubt as much as you like, Isabella: we are all aware you have particular reasons to complain of men’s fickleness.” Feeling that the preservation of the peace required an immediate diversion, Rashleigh broke in with the first remark that occurred to him as appropriate: “Certainly this young man is a lover who has risked his life for the sake of love.” “Ay, and that proves you and I were right at dinner, Cousin Rashleigh!” cried Lady Strange. “Hardly so, my lady,” said Foxwell. “This young gentleman merely _risked_ his life in coming to meet his beloved. He by no means counted surely upon losing it: his active endeavours to escape prove that. Mrs. Winter’s contention, which I supported, was that no man would deliberately give his life for the sake of love—by which I mean the passion of love, itself, apart from pity or duty or other consideration. Now, had this gentleman come to meet his beloved, knowing certainly that death awaited him in consequence, then indeed he would have proved your assertion.” “Well, and how do you know he wouldn’t have done so, if the circumstances had required?” asked Lady Strange. “For my part, I believe he would.” “Provided, of course,” added Rashleigh, “that by failing to meet her he might lose her for all time.” “That is implied, certainly,” said Foxwell. “The alternative we are imagining is: Death for love gratified—life for love renounced.” “Catch a fellow of his years and looks choosing death on any such terms, if the choice were offered him,” said Mrs. Winter, derisively. “’Tis precisely his youth that would make him give all for love,” said Rashleigh; “the more so if this be his first serious love.—But what _is_ to be his fate, Bob? If you hand him over to the authorities, he will certainly be hanged, unless that paper lies.” “Egad, I was just thinking,” replied Foxwell, with the faint smile that comes with a piquant idea; “an Italian duke, a century or two ago, would have amused his visitors, and settled the point of our dispute, by putting this young gentleman to the test. I must say, experiments upon the human passions have an interest, though the loggish minds of our countrymen don’t often rise to such refinements of curiosity.” “I see nothing in it to balk at,” said Rashleigh. “At the worst, the young man can but die, as he must if you do your plain duty as a loyal subject. ’Twould really be giving him a chance for his life. It seems an excellent way out of your own indecision as to what you should do with him: you transfer his fate from your will to his.”