Sheldon to
set her free. I consent to this only as man must consent to the
inevitable; but I say to her, can she not come to Normandy for a
fortnight--say but one short fortnight--to see her home? She will come
with you. She has but to ask a holiday of her friends, and it is done."
"Of course," exclaimed the Captain, "she shall come with me. If
necessary, I myself will ask it of Sheldon.--But it will be best not to
mention where you are going, Diana. There are reasons, best known to our
friend Gustave and myself, which render secrecy advisable just at
present. You can say Rouen. That is quite near enough to the mark to come
within the limits of truth," added Horatio, with the tone of a man who
had never; quite outstepped those limits. "Yes, Rouen. And you will come
with me."
"With us," said Gustave. "I will put off my journey for a day or two for
the sake of going with you. You have to meet Fleurus in Rouen haven't
you?"
"Yes; he is to be there on the fifth of March, and this is the last day
of February. I had a letter from him this morning. All goes swimmingly."
Diana wondered what it could be which went swimmingly; but she was
obliged to content herself with her lover's assurance that he had not
allowed her father to involve him in any kind of speculation.
CHAPTER III.
AGAINST WIND AND TIDE.
Between Philip Sheldon and his brother there was at this time a state of
feeling somewhat akin to the relations between a subjugated country and
its conqueror.
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