I did not see Fane the next day, except at parade, until I was dressing for mess, when he stalked into my room, and stretching himself on a sofa, said, after a pause,
"Well, old boy, I've been and gone and done it."
"Been and gone and done what?" I asked, for, by the laws of retaliation, I was bound to tease him a little.
"Confound you, what an idiot you are!" was the complimentary rejoinder. "Why, my dear fellow, the truth is, that, like most of my unfortunate sex, I have at last turned into that most tortuous path called love, and surrendered myself to the machinations of beautiful woman. The long and the short of it is—I am engaged to be married!"
"Good Heavens! Fane!" I exclaimed, "what next? You married! Who on earth is she? I know of no heiress down here!"
"She is no heiress," said the captain; "but she is what is much better—the sweetest, dearest, most lovable——"
"Of course!" I said, "but no heiress! My dear Fane, you cannot mean what you say?"
"I should be sorry if I did not," was the cool reply; "and you must be more of a fool, Fred, than I took you for, if you cannot see that Florence Aspeden is worth all the heiresses upon earth, and is the embodiment of all that is lovely and winning in woman——"
"No doubt of it, tout cela saute aux yeux," I answered. "But reflect, Fane; it would be utter madness in you to marry anything but an heiress. Love in a cottage is not your style. You were not made for a small house, one maid-servant, and dinner——"
"Ah!" laughed Fane, "you are bringing my former nonsense against me. Some would say I was committing worse folly now, but believe me, Fred, the folly even of the heart is better than the calculating wisdom of the world. I do not hesitate to say that if Florence had fortune I should prefer it, for such a vaurien as I was made to spend money; but as she has not, I love her too dearly to think about it, and my father, I have no doubt, will soon get me my majority, and we shall get on stunningly. So marry for love, Fred, if you take my advice."