'It is difficult to measure danger when it is over—past danger, like past pain, is soon forgotten,' said the old general. 'At all events, I rejoice in your present safety.'
'But is she really going to be married to Heathcock?' said Lord Colambre.
'Positively; they all came over in the same packet with me, and they are all in town now, buying jewels, and equipages, and horses. Heathcock, you know, is as good as another man, A PEU PRES, for all those purposes; his father is dead, and left him a large estate. QUE VOULEZ VOUS? as the French valet said to me on the occasion. C'EST QUE MONSIEUR EST UN HOMME DE BIEN: IL A DES BIENS, A CE QU'ON DIT.'
Lord Colambre could not help smiling. 'How they got Heathcock to fall in love is what puzzles me,' said his lordship. 'I should as soon have thought of an oyster's falling in love as that being!'
'I own I should have sooner thought,' replied the count, 'Of his falling in love with an oyster; and so would you, if you had seen him, as I did, devouring oysters on shipboard.
'Say, can the lovely HEROINE hope to vie
With a fat turtle or a ven'son pie?
But that is not our affair; let the Lady Isabel look to it.'
Dinner was announced; and no farther conversation of any consequence passed between the count and Lord Colambre till the cloth was removed and the servants had withdrawn. Then our hero opened on the subject which was heavy at his heart.
'My dear count—to go back to the BURIAL PLACE OF THE NUGENTS, where my head was lost the first time I had the pleasure of seeing you—you know, or, possibly,' said he, smiling, 'you do not know, that I have a cousin of the name of Nugent?'
'You told me,' replied the count, 'that you had near relations of that name; but I do not recollect that you mentioned any one in particular.'