The Amateur Gentleman

"But, madam--"

"Oh, she confessed to me all about it, and how you had tried to pay

Ronald's debts for him out of your own pocket,--which was very

magnificent but quite absurd."

"Yes," sighed Barnabas, "so now I am determined to free him from

Chichester first--"

"By dispossessing Chichester?"

"Yes, madam."

"But--can't you see, if you force him to expose you it will mean

your social ruin?"

"But then I gave--Her--my promise."

"Oh, Barnabas," said the Duchess, looking up at him with her young,

beautiful eyes that were so like Cleone's, "what a superb fool you

are! And your father is only a village inn-keeper!"

"No, madam,--he was champion of all England as well."

"Oh!" sighed the Duchess, shaking her head, "that poor Sir Mortimer

Carnaby! But, as for you, sir, you 're a fool, either a very clumsy,

or a very--unselfish one,--anyhow, you're a fool, you know!"

"Yes," sighed Barnabas, his head hanging, "I fear I am."

"Oh yes,--you're quite a fool--not a doubt of it!" said the Duchess

with a nod of finality. "And yet, oh, dear me! I think it may be

because I'm seventy-one and growing younger every day, or perhaps

because I'm so old that I have to wear a wig, but my tastes are so

peculiar that there are some fools I could almost--love. So you may

give me your arm,--Barnabas."

He obeyed mechanically, and they went on down the road together in

silence until they came to a pair of tall, hospitable gates, and

here Barnabas paused, and spoke wonderingly: "Madam, you--you surely forget I am the son of--"

"A champion of all England, Barnabas. But, though you can thrash Sir

Mortimer Carnaby, Wilfred Chichester is the kind of creature that

only a truly clever woman can hope to deal with, so you may leave him

to me!"

"But, madam, I--"

"Barnabas, quite so. But Wilfred Chichester always makes me shudder,

and I love to shudder--now and then, especially in the hot weather.

And then everything bores me lately--Cleone, myself,--even Whist, so

I'll try my hand at another game--with Wilfred Chichester as an

opponent."

"But, Duchess, indeed I--"

"Very true, Barnabas! but the matter is quite settled. And now, you

are still determined to--confess your father to Cleone, I suppose?"

"Yes, I dare not speak to her otherwise, how could I, knowing myself

an--"