"'Then I may as well tell you at once,' says his lordship, quite briskly, 'that I am utterly and entirely opposed to the match, and will never give my consent to it.'
"There was a little silence, and we all three settled down in our chairs as much as to say, 'Now we are really getting to business.' Presently Dad said,—
"'I am afraid, my lord, that solemn agreements of this kind are not so easily broken. Consider my daughter's feelings.'
"'I am perfectly willing to consider her feelings, sir,' says the old gentleman, with a little odd bow. Then he turned to me and said,—
"'May I ask a direct question? Are you genuinely attached to my son?'
"I wished he wouldn't keep on at me like that. However, I had to keep my end up, so I said, in a sort of soft voice, 'Yes.'
"'Ah,' said he, as if he was thinking. Then Dad, evidently considering we were wasting time, put in,—
"'If this match is broken off, my daughter's susceptibilities must be solaced in a very substantial manner.'
"Then the old gentleman turned and looked Dad through and through, and said, 'Ah!' again, as much as to say, 'I thought so.'
"'Well,' he said at last, 'how much do you want?'