me assist you, Sir—do; " and turning round with petulant quickness, he beheld again Mr. Adolphus Poole. It requires an habitual intercourse with equals to give perfect and invariable control of temper to a man of irritable nerves and frank charac- ter; and though, where Darrell really liked, he had much sweet forbearance, and where he was indifferent, much stately courtesy, yet, when he was offended, he could be extremely uncivil. "Sir," he cried, almost stamping his foot, " your importunities annoy me; I request you to cease them."
"Oh! I ask your pardon," said Mr. Poole, with an angry growl. " I have no need to force myself on any man. But I beg you to believe that if I presumed to seek your acquaintance, it was to do you a service. Sir—yes; a private service, Sir." He lowered his voice into a whisper, and laid his finger on his nose—"There's one Jasper Losely, Sir—eh? Oh, Sir, I'm no mischief-maker. I respect family secrets. Perhaps I might be of use, perhaps not."
"Certainly not to me. Sir," said Darrell, flinging the cloak he had now found across his shoulders, and striding from the house. When he entered his carriage, the footman stood waiting for or- ders. Darrell was long in giving them. Any where for half an hour—to St. Paul's, then home."
But on returning from this objectless plunge into the city, Darrell pulled the check-string—" To Belgrave Square—Lady Dulcett's."
The concert was half over; but Flora Vyvyan had still guard- ed, as she had promised, a seat beside herself for Darrell, by lending it for the present to one of her obedient vassals. Her face brightened as she saw Darrell enter and approach. The vassal surrendered the chair. Darrell appeared to be in the highest spirits; and I firmly believe that he was striving to the utmost in his power—what?—to make himself agreeable to Flora Vyvyan? No; to make Flora Vyvyan agreeable to him- self. The man did not presume that a fair young lady could be in love with him; perhaps he believed that, at his years, to be impossible. But he asked what seemed much easier, and was much harder—he asked to be himself in love.
