"Still we cannot take the chance, my lad. We must put an end to this fond adventure. Robin is our most precious possession. We must not—Why do you shake your head?"
"We are powerless, sir. If he makes up his mind to marry Miss Guile, he'll do it in spite of anything we can do. That is, provided she is of the same mind."
"God defend us, I fear you are right," groaned the old Count. "He has declared himself a hundred times, and he is a wilful lad. I recall the uselessness of the opposition that was set up against his lamented mother when she decided to marry Grenfell Lorry. 'Gad, sir, it was like butting into a stone wall. She said she would and she did. I fear me that Robin has much of his mother in him."
"Behold in me the first sacrifice," declaimed Dank, lifting his eyes heavenward.
"Oh, you will recover," was the unsympathetic rejoinder. "It is for him that I fear, not for you."
"Recover, sir?" in despair. "I fear you misjudge my humble heart—"
"Bosh! Your heart has been through a dozen accidents of this character, Dank, and it is good for a hundred more. I'll rejoice when this voyage is ended and we have him safe on his way to Edelweiss."
"That will not make the slightest difference, sir. If he sets his head to marry her he'll do it if we take him to the North Pole. All Graustark can't stop him,—nor old man Blithers either. Besides, he says he isn't going to Edelweiss immediately."
"That is news to me."
"I thought it would be. He came to the decision not more than two hours ago. He is determined to spend a couple of weeks at Interlaken."