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 'Ah, but he is though,' said the judge. 'What do you think of his wounds? And if all that I hear be true, he has other battles on hand. But we must not speak about that till this poor lady's trial is over.'

'I need hardly tell you, sir,' said Graham, with that sheep-like air which a man always carries on such occasions, 'that I regard myself as the most fortunate man in the world.'

'Quite unnecessary,' said the judge. 'On such occasions that is taken as a matter of course.' And then the conversation between them for the next ten minutes was rather dull and flat.

Up-stairs the same thing was going on, in a manner somewhat more animated, between the mother and daughter,—for ladies on such occasions can be more animated than men.

'Oh, mamma, you must love him,' Madeline said.

'Yes, my dear; of course I shall love him now. Your papa says that he is very clever.'

'I know papa likes him. I knew that from the very first. I think that was the reason why'

'And I suppose clever people are the best,—that is to say, if they are good.'

'And isn't he good?'

'Well—I hope so. Indeed, I'm sure he is. Mr. Orme was a very good young man too;—but it's no good talking about him now.'

'Mamma, that never could have come to pass.'

'Very well, my dear. It's over now, and of course all that I looked for was your happiness.'

'I know that, mamma; and indeed I am very happy. I'm sure I could not ever have liked any once else since I first knew him.'

Lady Staveley still thought it very odd, but she had nothing else to say. As regarded the pecuniary considerations of the affair she left them altogether to her husband, feeling that in this way she could relieve herself from misgivings which might otherwise make her unhappy. 'And after all I don't know that his ugliness signifies,' she said to herself. And so she made up her mind that she would be loving and affectionate to him, and sat up till she heard his footsteps in the passage, in order that she might speak to him, and make him welcome to the privileges of a son-in-law.

'Mr. Graham,' she said, opening her door as he passed by.

'Of course she has told you,' said Felix.

'Oh yes, she has told me. We don't have many secrets in this house. And I'm sure I congratulate you with all my heart; and I think you have got the very best girl in all the world. Of course I'm her mother; but I declare, if I was to talk of her for a week, I could not say anything of her but good.'

'I know how fortunate I am.'

'Yes, you are fortunate. For there is nothing in the world equal