“Indeed, I shall not be surprised if he does so,” said Rashleigh. “You take too little account of his youth, Bob. When men are of his age, and of an ardent nature, their love shuts out everything else from their view. ’Tis their universe. Beyond it, or apart from it, there’s nothing.”
“Fudge and nonsense!” exclaimed Mrs. Winter. “He will prefer to run away and live to love another day.”
“We shall see,” cried Lady Strange, “if Bob will really put it to the test. I’m so sure of the man, I’ll lay five guineas he will choose love and death.”
“Well, my lady, I’ll take your wager,” said Foxwell. “Your five guineas will be a cheap price for the lesson, that we men are not such devoted creatures as you do us the honour to suppose.”
“Never fear my doing _you_ that honour, Foxwell. But thank you for taking the wager. I’m dying of curiosity to see how the young fellow will receive the proposal.”
“There is no need you should linger in suspense,” replied Foxwell, pulling the bell. “Let us have the matter out now, while we’re in the humour.”
Taking up his sword, for use only in case of some desperate attempt on the prisoner’s part, Foxwell stationed himself at the door of the room, whence he could see across the hall and up the passage to the place of confinement. He then sent Caleb to request, in terms of great politeness, Mr. Everell’s company in the drawing-room, whither he was to be attended, of course, by the two men now guarding him.
While Caleb was upon this errand, it was possible for Foxwell both to keep eyes on the passage and to talk with his friends.
“Will you bet five guineas against me, too, Bob?” asked Rashleigh.
“Nay, I’ll do that,” put in Mrs. Winter, quickly, “and five more, if you like.”
“Good!” cried Mrs. Winter. “I believe I know how far a man is capable of going for love’s sake—even when young and of an ardent nature.”
“For all your talk,” answered Rashleigh, with barefaced affability, “you’ll not make me believe you’ve never found a man who would face death for love of you.”
“I may have found some who said they would,” replied Mrs. Winter, complacently swallowing the flattery despite all her sophistication, “but that’s a different thing. Let us see how this Romeo comes out of the test.”