between the youth you knew at Paris, and the man who has now the honour to
speak to you, there is nothing in common--absolutely nothing--except regard
for Mr. Percy. You had always great knowledge of character, I remember; but
with respect to my own, you will recollect that I have the advantage of
possessing _la carte du pays_. You are grown quite a philosopher, I find;
and so am I, in my own way. In short, to put the question between us at
rest for ever, _there is nothing left for me in life but ambition_. Now let
us go to Corregio, or what you please."

Mr. Percy followed his lordship's lead immediately to Italy, to France, to
Paris, and talking over old times and youthful days, the conversation grew
gay and familiar. Lord Oldborough seemed enlivened and pleased, and yet,
as if it were a reminiscence of a former state of existence, he often
repeated, "Ah! those were young days--very young: I was a boy then--quite
a boy." At last Mr. Percy touched upon love and women, and, by accident,
mentioned an Italian lady whom they had known abroad.--A flash of pale
anger, almost of frenzy, passed across Lord Oldborough's countenance:
he turned short, darted full on Mr. Percy a penetrating, imperious,
interrogative look.--Answered by the innocence, the steady openness of Mr.
Percy's countenance, Lord Oldborough grew red instantly, and, conscious
of his unusual change of colour, stood actually abashed. A moment
afterward, commanding his agitation, he forced his whole person to an air
of tranquillity--took up the red book which lay upon his table, walked
deliberately to a window, and, looking earnestly through his glass, asked
if Mr. Percy could recollect who was member for some borough in the
neighbourhood? The conversation after this languished; and though some
efforts were made, it never recovered the tone of ease and confidence. Both
parties felt relieved from an indefinable sort of constraint by the return
of the other gentlemen. Mr. Falconer begged Mr. Percy to go and look at a
carriage of a new construction, which the colonel had just brought from