[How interesting to watch the mysterious process by which these two powerful minds were gradually approximating towards understanding each other! 'Twas a sort of equation with an unknown quantity, in due course of elimination!]
"Doesn't your Lordship, indeed?" inquired Titmouse, rather briskly.
"Sir, it was a saying of one of the great—I mean, sir, it is—you must often have heard, sir—in short, nothing venture, nothing have!"
"I'd venture a precious deal, my Lord, if I only thought I could get what I'm after!"
"Sir?" exclaimed the earl, condescendingly.
"If your Lordship would only be so particular—so uncommon kind—as to name the thing to her Ladyship—by way of—eh, my Lord? A sort of breaking the ice, and all that"——
"Sir, I feel and have a just pride in assuring you, that the Lady Cecilia is a young lady of that superior delicacy of"——
"Does your Lordship really think I've a ghost of a chance?" interrupted Titmouse, anxiously. "She must have named the thing to your Lordship, no doubt—eh, my Lord?"
This queer notion of the young lady's delicacy a little staggered her distinguished father for a moment or two. What was he to say? She and he had really often named the thing to each other; and here the question was put to him plumply. The earl scorned a flat lie, and never condescended to equivocation except when it was absolutely necessary.
"Sir," he said hesitatingly; "undoubtedly—If I were to say—that now and then, when your attentions have been so pointed"——