\"Yes，\"sayshe;\"Iwaitedonherto—day。IsawyouwalkingtowardsKnightsbridgeasIpassedinmycoach;andshelookedsolovely，andspokesokind，thatIcouldn\'thelpgoingdownonmyknees，and——and——sureIamthehappiestofmeninalltheworld;andI\'mveryyoung;butshesaysIshallgetolder:andyouknowIshallbeofageinfourmonths;andthere\'sverylittledifferencebetweenus;andI\'msohappy。Ishouldliketotreatthecompanytosomething。Letushaveabottle——adozenbottles——anddrinkthehealthofthefinestwomaninEngland。\"
Esmondlefttheyounglordtossingoffbumperafterbumper，andstrolledawaytoKensingtontoaskwhetherthenewswastrue。
\'Twasonlytoosure:hismistress\'ssad，compassionatefacetoldhimthestory;andthensherelatedwhatparticularsofitsheknew，andhowmyyounglordhadmadehisoffer，halfanhourafterEsmondwentawaythatmorning，andintheveryroomwherethesonglayyetontheharpsichord，whichEsmondhadwrit，andtheyhadsungtogether。
BOOKIII。
CONTAININGTHEENDOFMR。ESMOND\'SADVENTURESINENGLAND。