'"Oh, don't you know? They are all about the King, and the Parliament, Rochester, Halifax, and Godolphin, and a great many names I can't remember, for I never listen. But I should have thought you must have heard of them, for I know Sir Bernard Dalrymple always has more to say about all those people than anyone else who comes to my uncle's house."
"Then I suppose you have often seen my father before you came here?" I asked.
'"Oh yes; he has been there a great many times lately—I suppose to settle about your marriage. Algernon and I used to wonder what they could be talking about when we saw them pacing up and down the terrace by the hour together; till at last one day, just as we were going to the fish-ponds with some bread and honey to feed the carp, my uncle called Algernon to him and said, 'Come and shake hands with this gentleman, Algernon; he is going to give you his daughter to be your little wife.'"
'"Well, and what did Algernon say?" I asked eagerly; for, when Agnes arrived at this interesting point in the story, she hesitated.
'"I don't think he quite liked the idea at first. You see, he had not seen you then; and it seemed so strange and sudden an idea," said Agnes rather reluctantly.
'"But tell me exactly what he said," I persisted, with a not unnatural desire to know how my bridegroom had received the news which had excited me so much.
'"Why, he said, 'When I am grown-up, I suppose, sir?' 'Oh no,' replied Sir Harry; 'we will not put your constancy to so severe a trial. In six weeks' time your marriage is to take place.' Then Algernon grew very red, and looked at his piece of bread and honey so hard, that I thought he was making up his mind where he would take the first bite; but at last he looked up and said, 'If I must be married, sir, I would rather marry Agnes, because she knows where to find my fishing-tackle, and can always undo my line when it gets into a tangle.' My uncle burst into a great fit of laughter when he heard this, and Sir Bernard laughed a little too; but I grew very hot and uncomfortable, and thought I should like to run away. So I pulled Algernon's sleeve; but just then my uncle left off laughing and said, 'No, no, Algernon, I have no doubt that Agnes is much obliged for your good opinion of her; but, as her guardian as well as yours, I am afraid I must decline your kind proposal. And when you have seen your future bride, who is about the prettiest little damsel I know, you will, I trust, apologize to her father for having made such a proposition in his very presence.' Sir Bernard said no apology was needed. He shook hands with Algernon, and called him a fine fellow, and, turning to me, said he hoped to have the pleasure of seeing me at Horsemandown, and trusted I would be kind enough to impart to his daughter that knowledge of fishing operations which Lord Desmond thought so necessary in a wife. He looked very grave all the time, but I felt sure he must be laughing at me, and I had much ado to make my reverence and thank him without beginning to cry. That is how it was settled; and when Algernon found out that you had brothers, and that he was to have a week's holiday in honour of his wedding, he began to like the idea very much. For you know, when I am at school he has no companions at all at New Court, and his tutor and Lady Mountfort are so very strict and severe that he has but a dreary life of it."
'My feelings had varied to and fro during Agnes's recital. Sir Harry's complimentary remarks hardly made up for Algernon's indifference; but when she ended, I forgot his offences in pity for one whose only companions were a tutor and Lady Mountfort, whose stiff figure and severe expression of countenance had filled me with awe and dislike the moment I saw her. "How dreadful!" I exclaimed. "What should Oliver and I do if we had to live like that?"
'"Hush!" said Agnes; "don't speak so loud, or my aunt will hear you. She says children ought never to speak when they are in the same room as their elders, unless they are spoken to."
'"Oh! but to-day surely she would not mind. Mamma does not allow us, in general, to speak when any one is here; but on my wedding day"—and I drew up my head a little higher than usual—"things are different."