"With all my heart. But people have such a way of making themselves disgusting. What do you say to taking a run through the States?"
"Would you go with me?" asked the Baronet.
"If you wish it I shouldn't mind," said the Captain considerately. "Only to do any good we should be off quickly. But you must write to some one first."
"Before I start, you think?"
"Oh, yes;—certainly. If she didn't hear from you before you went, you'd be persecuted by her letters."
"There is no end to her letters. I've quite made up my mind what I'll do about them. I won't open one of them. After all, why should she write to me when the affair is over? You've heard of Mrs. Western, I suppose?"
"Yes; I've heard of her."
"I didn't write to her when that affair was over. I didn't pester her with long-winded scrawls. She changed her mind, and I've changed mine; and so we're equal. I've paid her, and she can pay me if she knows how."
"I hope Miss Altifiorla will look at it in the same light," said the Captain.
"Why shouldn't she? She knew all about it when that other affair came to an end. I wasn't treated with any particular ceremony. The truth is, people don't look at these things now as they used to do. Men and women mostly do as they like till they've absolutely fixed themselves. There used to be duels and all that kind of nonsense. There is none of that now."