“To Margaret, the daughter of—”

“Oh! oh! oh!—ha! ha! ha! Good. Oh, that is good!”

“Sire!”

“Excuse my laughing, Lady Connell; but you are talking of the little blue-eyed wench you called your daughter, or your niece, are you not?”

“I mentioned the name, and the descendant of a race of kings!”

“Milesian kings?”

“Yes, Milesian kings; but none the less kings, and I am quite surprised that you should feel any hesitation in regarding the daughter of a mere English miller when you felt none regarding Margaret, a descendant of a long line of kings.”

“My good woman, don’t make me laugh in this way, that’s a dear old soul; now, don’t.”

“Laugh, sire?”

“Yes, to be sure. Come, say no more, we will go and speak to this——”