But this some one else was, I am inclined to think in spite of her
excellently executed portrait, merely a brilliant stroke of modern
journalism, the _Yell_ having got wind of the sudden retreat of
Chatteris and inventing a reason in preference to discovering one.
Wensleydale tells me the true impetus to bolt was the merest trifle. The
daughter of the millionaire, being a bright and spirited girl, had
undergone interviewing on the subject of her approaching marriage, on
marriage in general, on social questions of various sorts, and on the
relations of the British and American peoples, and he seems to have
found the thing in his morning paper. It took him suddenly and he lost
his head. And once he started, he seems to have lacked the power of mind
to turn about and come back. The affair was a mess, the family paid some
more of his bills and shirked others, and Chatteris turned up in London
again after a time, with somewhat diminished glory and a series of
letters on Imperial Affairs, each headed with the quotation: "What do
they know of England who only England know?"
Of course people of England learnt nothing of the real circumstances of
the case, but it was fairly obvious that he had gone to America and come
back empty-handed.
And that was how, in the course of some years, he came to Adeline
Glendower, of whose special gifts as his helper and inspiration you have
already heard from Mrs. Bunting. When he became engaged to her, the
family, which had long craved to forgive him--Lady Poynting Mallow as a
matter of fact had done so--brightened wonderfully. And after
considerable obscure activities he declared himself a philanthropic
Liberal with open spaces in his platform, and in a position, and ready
as a beginning, to try the quality of the conservative South.
He was away making certain decisive arrangements, in Paris and
elsewhere, at the time of the landing of the Sea Lady. Before the matter
was finally settled it was necessary that something should be said to a
certain great public character, and then he was to return and tell
Adeline. And every one was expecting him daily, including, it is now
indisputable, the Sea Lady.