"I never forget a friend," said he, "nor yet an enemy: of the latter, I never had but two--myself and the public; and I fancy I have had my vengeance pretty freely out of both." He chuckled. "But those days are done. Van Tromp is no more. He was a man who had successes; I believe you knew I had successes--to which we shall refer no further," pulling down his neckcloth with a smile. "That man exists no more: by an exercise of will I have destroyed him. There is something like it in the poets. First, a brilliant and conspicuous career--the observed, I may say, of all observers including the bum-baily: and then, presto! a quiet, sly, old, rustic _bonhomme_, cultivating roses. In Paris, Mr. Naseby----" "Call him Richard, father," said Esther. "Richard, if he will allow me. Indeed, we are old friends, and now near neighbours; and, _a propos_, how are we off for neighbours, Richard? The cottage stands, I think, upon your father's land, a family which I respect--and the wood, I understand, is Lord Trevanion's. Not that I care; I am an old Bohemian. I have cut society with a cut direct; I cut it when I was prosperous, and now I reap my reward, and can cut it with dignity in my declension. These are our little _amours propres_, my daughter: your father must respect himself. Thank you, yes; just a leetle, leetle tiny--thanks, thanks; you spoil me. But, as I was saying, Richard, or was about to say, my daughter has been allowed to rust; her aunt was a mere duenna; hence, in parenthesis, Richard, her distrust of me; my nature and that of the duenna are poles asunder--poles! But, now that I am here, now that I have given up the fight, and live henceforth for one only of my works--I have the modesty to say it is my best--my daughter--well, we shall put all that to rights. The neighbours, Richard?" Dick was understood to say that there were many good families in the Vale of Thyme. "You shall introduce us," said the Admiral. Dick's shirt was wet; he made a lumbering excuse to go; which Esther explained to herself by a fear of intrusion, and so set down to the merit side of Dick's account, while she proceeded to detain him. "Before our walk?" she cried. "Never! I must have my walk." "Let us all go," said the Admiral, rising. "You do not know that you are wanted," she cried, leaning on his shoulder with a caress. "I might wish to speak to my old friend about my new father. But you shall come to-day, you shall do all you want; I have set my heart on spoiling you." "I will take just _one_ drop more," said the Admiral, stooping to help himself to brandy. "It is surprising how this journey has fatigued me. But I am growing old, I am growing old, I am growing old, and--I regret to add--bald."