As Randal left the room, Levy followed him.

"What you propose to do will be well done, no doubt," quoth the usurer,
linking his arm in Randal's; "but take care that you don't get yourself
into a scrape, so as to damage your character. I have great hopes of you
in public life; and in public life character is necessary,--that is, so
far as honour is concerned."

"I damage my character!--and for a Count Peschiera!" said Randal, opening
his eyes. "I! What do you take me for?"

The baron let go his hold.

"This boy ought to rise very high," said he to himself, as he turned back
to the count.




CHAPTER III.

Randal's acute faculty of comprehension had long since surmised the truth
that Beatrice's views and temper of mind had been strangely and suddenly
altered by some such revolution as passion only can effect; that pique or
disappointment had mingled with the motive which had induced her to
accept the hand of his rash young kinsman; and that, instead of the
resigned indifference with which she might at one time have contemplated
any marriage that could free her from a position that perpetually galled
her pride, it was now with a repugnance, visible to Randal's keen eye,
that she shrank from the performance of that pledge which Frank had so