"Eleven—plenty of time for a man of his superior intelligence to accomplish it all. By Jove! I would like to see the result. I would wager he does it to the queen's taste, and that with two Richmonds in the field Warwick or Jerome or any other man would find it hard to tell the genuine from the artificial. Reminds me of Shakespeare's two Dromios. Well, there's nothing for me to do but take it quietly until morning, when I'll give my noble duke a run for his money. Ye gods, I can imagine his amazement. But he is not the man to let one failure daunt him. I rather imagine we two may yet face each other with sword or pistol in hand. That, gives me little concern just now, however much it may later on. All seems quiet around the hotel, so I presume the coast is clear."
He found no difficulty in gaining his apartment unobserved, and there proceeded to woo the gentle goddess of sleep.
A methodical man, he was able to awaken at just the hour he desired.
Perhaps a somewhat superficial knowledge of Wellington's usual habits guided him in this matter quite as much as his own desires.
An observation convinced him that the day had broken fair and singularly cool, so that all nature appeared to rejoice.
He dressed with perhaps a little more care than ordinary and stood before the glass arranging the ends of his four-in-hand.
"I wonder if her eyes still glow with their old intoxicating light?" he muttered.
From which one might readily imagine the dreams that had accompanied his slumber must have dealt more or less with the owner of those heavenly orbs.
"And I kissed her hand again as of yore. Jove! how it thrilled me. Did that kiss wipe out the past—is it possible for us both to forgive and again be more than friends? The very thought gives my heart hope. And yet what a fool I am to forget—those magnificent rings—perhaps one or more of them came from the bolero dancer, the dashing Julio who took San Juan hearts by storm. Heaven only knows—in my mad jealousy I accused her of encouraging his attentions. Perhaps I was wrong, and again I may have been right, for I never heard more of either after I shook the red dust of San Juan from my feet. She may have wedded him, and now be wife or widow. Ugh! to the devil with such thoughts. Now to give dear old Jerome a shake up he will never forget."
The idea afforded him some pleasure—at least it banished that other hideous nightmare.