"You invariably set your face against your own advantages, and I am afraid I shall not live to see you where you ought to be. However, Reckage shall have the invitation. Now, good-night. By the by, have you heard that Castrillon is now in the marriage-market? His mistress has given her consent, and the Prince has promised his blessing. Could things look more auspicious? Good-night." For the second time that evening Castrillon's name fell with a warning note on Robert's ear. Disraeli, he knew, would not have mentioned him out of sheer idleness. There was some danger threatening in that quarter, and it was impossible to dissociate this from Brigit. The Marquis of Castrillon had been with her in Madrid, and also at Baron Zeuill's palace after the escape from Loadilla. "Where is Castrillon now?" asked Robert. "I understand he is in London," answered Disraeli; "at Claridge's Hotel. D'Alchingen and he are on excellent terms." "Good!" said Robert, tightening his lips. "You will find he has been invited to Hadley." "I haven't a doubt of it." "Then I must contrive to see him first." Early the following morning Orange presented himself at the house of an old, very devout priest of his acquaintance. "Father," said he, "this afternoon or to-morrow I may be in circumstances of danger." "What danger is this?" asked the priest. "There is a man whom I may be compelled, in defence of my honour, to challenge to a duel." "To approach the Sacrament in such a frame of mind," said the old man, "is not to prepare yourself for danger. For to come to confession with a determination of taking vengeance is to put an obstacle to the grace of the Sacrament. You must preserve your honour by some other way. Indeed, the honour you think to preserve by this is not real honour, but merely the estimation of bad men founded on bad principles." "I know," said Orange, hotly; "it is impossible, however, to withdraw now." "If you should be beaten," returned the other, who had been in the army himself as a youth, and could comprehend the worldly view of the situation, "if you should be beaten, what becomes of the honour you wish to defend? And if you should be killed in that state of soul in which you go to the duel, you will go straight to hell and everlasting shame." "I implore you, Father, to pray for me, and to hear my confession, if you possibly can." "Certainly, I cannot hear you," said the priest. "But this is what I will do. Wear this _Agnus Dei_, and perhaps God will have mercy on you for the sake of this, and afford you time for penance. Understand, however, I do not give it to you in order to encourage you in your bad purpose, but that you may wear it with all reverence and respect, and perhaps be moved to obedience." Robert thanked him, accepting the gift in a right spirit. His self-will, however, was aroused. He had determined to fight Castrillon, and fight he would. CHAPTER XXI