“I have tried more than once in vain to see you,” replied Wilton; “not that I wanted anything, but that I was anxious to hear tidings of you, and to thank you for what you had already done.  I will now, however, bid you good night, and trust that time, at least, may prove an alleviation of your burdens as well as those of others.”

Green shook his head with a look of utter despondency, and Wilton quitted him, seeing that further words were vain.  Lord Sherbrooke then conducted him to a small neat room, and left him to lie down to rest, saying—­

“I know not, Wilton, whether I can conquer my bad habits so much as to be up before you go.  If not, I may not see you for many days, for I have leave of absence,” he added, with one of his light laughs, “from my most honoured and respected parent.  Should you need me, you will find me here; and I would fain have you tell me if anything of import befals you.  I shall hear, however—­I shall hear.”

Thus saying, he left him, and at an early hour on the following day Wilton was on his way homeward.  He reached London before the time at which it was usual for him to present himself at the house of Lord Byerdale; but when, after pulling off his riding dress, he went thither, he found that the Earl had already gone to Whitehall, and consequently he followed him to that place.

The statesman seemed not a little surprised to see him, and instantly questioned him in regard to his interview with the Duke.  That interview was soon told by Wilton, who loved not to dwell upon the particulars, and consequently related the whole as briefly as possible.

He told enough, however, to move the Earl a good deal, but in a different manner from what might have been expected.  Once or twice he coloured and frowned heavily, and then laughed loud and bitterly.

“His pride is almost more absurd than I had fancied, Wilton,” he said, at length; “but to tell you the truth, I have in some degree foreseen all this, though not quite to this extent.  If he had willingly consented to your marriage with his daughter, he might have saved himself, perhaps, some pain, for he must consent in the end, and it would not surprise me some day to see him suing you to the alliance that he now refuses you.  His grace is certainly a very great and haughty peer, but nevertheless he may some day find you quite a fitting match for his daughter.”

“I trust it may be so, my lord,” replied Wilton; “but yet I see not very well how it can be so.”

“You will see, you will see, Wilton,” replied Lord Byerdale:  “it matters not at present to talk of it.  But now sit down and write me a letter to the Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, telling him that I must beg he and the Sheriff would take prompt measures for restoring peace and security in the county.  Let him know that one of the government couriers was stopped and plundered on the road last night.  Luckily the bag of despatches has been found upon the highway unopened, but still the act was a most daring one.  The same sort of thing has been of frequent occurrence in that county:  it is evident that a large troop of these gentry of the road make that part of the world their field, and we must put a stop to it.”