Ferdinand would not have contested her right to send him down among
the lions, and would never have given her back her troth, like Knight
Des Lorges. No, he hotly contended that Alda had a perfect right to
make her own terms, and still more hotly, though most inconsistently,
that to work at Peter Brown's was his own free choice.
It was incontestable that a South American merchant's career offered
more possibilities of rising into opulence and consideration than the
proprietorship of a country paper; and though Felix privately doubted
whether desk-work would suit Ferdinand half as well as the work where
he himself could have contributed wits, he could say no more.
Ferdinand was greatly disappointed; but there was no sacrifice that
he would not make, and persist in with his silent Spanish
perseverance, for Alda's sake. Indeed, he could not bear not to begin
at once. He would return at once to his regiment, send in his papers,
and dispose of his horses and equipments, making arrangements with
Peter Brown to enter his house. He seemed to be in a fever till the
matter was in train, and was entirely past remonstrance. And Felix
recognised that the lovers must act for themselves, and could only
feel thoroughly vexed with Alda, and equally vexed with himself for
the consternation with which he thought of having her at home three
years longer!
It was the next evening; and not only had Alda's own lover departed,
but Captain Harewood was missing, and with him Lance, and the only
explanation was from Bernard, that they were gone to Minsterham.
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