as well as your prudence. Under these circumstances, you will, I am
quite sure, look with lenity on her girlish errors, and not love her the
less because her foolish fancy persuades her that she is in love with
another."

"Ahem!" said Mauleverer, "you view the matter with more sense than
sentiment; but look you, Brandon, we must try, for both our sakes, if
possible, to keep the identity of Lovett with Clifford from being known.
I do not see why it should be. No doubt he was on his guard while
playing the gallant, and committed no atrocity at Bath. The name of
Clifford is hitherto perfectly unsullied. No fraud, no violence are
attached to the appellation; and if the rogue will but keep his own
counsel, we may hang him out of the way without the secret transpiring."

"But if I remember right," said Brandon, "the newspapers say that this
Lovett will be tried some seventy or eighty miles only from Bath, and
that gives a chance of recognition."

"Ay, but he will be devilishly altered, I imagine; for his wound has
already been but a bad beautifier to his face. Moreover, if the dog has
any delicacy, he will naturally dislike to be known as the gallant of
that gay city where he shone so successfully, and will disguise himself
as well as he is able. I hear wonders of his powers of self-
transformation."

"But he may commit himself on the point between this and his trial," said
Brandon.

"I think of ascertaining how far that is likely, by sending my valet down
to him (you know one treats these gentlemen highwaymen with a certain