'A 'doosed' fine girl, of course,' said Charley, laughing. 'She has too much go in her for me, I'm afraid.' 'Marriage and children will soon pull that down. She'd make an excellent wife for such a man as you; and to tell you the truth, Charley, if you'll take my advice, you'll lose no time in making up to her. She has got that d---- French fellow at her heels, and though I don't suppose she cares one straw about him, it may be well to make sure.' 'But you don't mean in earnest that you think that Miss Golightly would have me?' 'Indeed I do--you are just the man to get on with girls; and, as far as I can see, you are just the man that will never get on in any other way under the sun.' Charley sighed as he thought of his many debts, his poor prospects, and his passionate love. There seemed, indeed, to be little chance that he ever would get on at all in the ordinary sense of the word. 'I'm sure she'd refuse me,' said he, still wishing to back out of the difficulty. 'I'm sure she would--I've not got a penny in the world, you know.' 'That's just the reason--she has got lots of money, and you have got none.' 'Just the reason why she should refuse me, you should say.' 'Well--what if she does? There's no harm done. 'Faint heart never won fair lady.' You've everything to back you--Mrs. Val is led by Undy Scott, and Undy is all on your side.' 'But she has got guardians, hasn't she?' 'Yes--her father's first cousin, old Sam Golightly. He is dying; or dead probably by this time; only Mrs. Val won't have the news brought to her, because of this party. He had a fit of apoplexy yesterday. Then there's her father's brother-in-law, Figgs; he's bedridden. When old Golightly is off the hooks altogether, another will be chosen, and Undy talks of putting in my name as that of a family friend; so you'll have everything to assist you.' Charley looked very grave. He had not been in the habit of discussing such matters, but it seemed to him, that if Alaric was about to become in any legal manner the guardian of Miss Golightly's fortune, that that in itself was reason enough why he, Alaric, should not propose such a match as this. Needy men, to be sure, did often marry rich ladies, and the world looked on and regarded it only as a matter of course; but surely it would be the duty of a guardian to protect his ward from such a fate, if it were in his power to do so. Alaric, who saw something of what was going on in his cousin's mind, essayed to remove the impression which was thus made. 'Besides, you know, Clementina is no chicken. Her fortune is at her own disposal. All the guardians on earth cannot prevent her marrying you if she makes up her mind to do so.'