“Oh, my dear young friend,” said he, “it is well to be young—but, at the same time, the young as well as the old have their cares, troubles, and anxieties, though these in most cases result from different causes. You are preoccupied to-day—there is doubtless good reason for this.”
“Nothing in particular,” said Ethalwood—“but you must understand that at times I feel the effects of the severe fall I had some time ago.”
“Ah, true, no doubt; but if there is nothing more serious than that—well, I think you’ll get over it in good time.”
No. 66.
THE MEETING OF THE RIVALS.
The conversation was continued much in this strain, when by artfully calculated means the chevalier soon succeeded in drawing from Lord Ethalwood the cause of his preoccupation, and, indeed, of all that had happened in the house of Madame Trieste.
Monsieur de Monpres’ eyes sparkled and his whole face was lit with an expression of joyousness when Lord Ethalwood had finished his confession. He was wholly in his element; he had before him a young man trembling on the brink of a moral abyss, and his was not the hand to be stretched forth to save him.
“Ha, ha!” laughed the old chevalier. “Carrying on a flirtation with the mistress and her maid both at the same time—excellent! Why you are a perfect Don Giovanni, my young friend. By the way I know Lieutenant Trieste, the husband of the lady whose house afforded you such timely shelter; but, of course, a man in your exalted station would never for a moment contemplate uniting yourself to a person in Mademoiselle’s humble position—that’s altogether out of the question.”
“It is quite out of the question.”