 of a change,
must be vacated; and to say truth, he seemed to have a liking for you, and to be
sensible of the general advantages to be attained by such a match. But his lady,
who is tongue of the trump, Master« --
    »What of Lady Ashton, my lord?« said Ravenswood; »let me know the issue of
this extraordinary conference - I can bear it.«
    »I am glad of that, kinsman,« said the Marquis, »for I am ashamed to tell
you half what she said. It is enough - her mind is made up - and the mistress of
a first-rate boarding-school could not have rejected with more haughty
indifference the suit of a half-pay Irish officer, beseeching permission to wait
upon the heiress of a West India planter, than Lady Ashton spurned every
proposal of mediation which it could at all become me to offer in behalf of you,
my good kinsman. I cannot guess what she means. A more honourable connection she
could not form, that's certain. As for money and land, that used to be her
husband's business rather than hers; I really think she hates you for having the
rank which her husband has not, and perhaps for not having the lands that her
goodman has. But I should only vex you to say more about it - here we are at the
change-house.«
    The Master of Ravenswood paused as he entered the cottage, which reeked
through all its crevices, and they were not few, from the exertions of the
Marquis's travelling-cooks to supply good cheer, and spread, as it were, a table
in the wilderness.
    »My Lord Marquis,« said Ravenswood, »I already mentioned that accident has
put your lordship in possession of a secret which, with my consent, should have
remained one even to you, my kinsman, for some time. Since the secret was to
part from my own custody, and that of the only person besides who was interested
in it, I am not sorry it should have reached your lordship's ears, as being
fully aware that you are my noble kinsman and friend.«
    »You may believe it is safely lodged with me, Master of Ravenswood,« said
the Marquis; »but I should like well to hear you say, that you renounced the
idea of an alliance which you can hardly pursue without a certain degree of
degradation.«
    »Of that, my lord, I shall judge,« answered Ravenswood, »and, I hope
