the man you search for, what more natural also than that I should desire
to know if you meant him harm or good in discovering his 'whereabout'?
For ill," added Randal, with an air of prudery,--"ill would it become me
to betray, even to friendship, the retreat of one who would hide from
persecution; and even if I did so--for honour itself is a weak safeguard
against your fascinations--such indiscretion might be fatal to my future
career."

"How?"

"Do you not say that Egerton knows the secret, yet will not communicate;
and is he a man who would ever forgive in me an imprudence that committed
himself? My dear friend, I will tell you more. When Audley Egerton
first noticed my growing intimacy with you, he said, with his usual
dryness of counsel, 'Randal, I do not ask you to discontinue acquaintance
with Madame di Negra, for an acquaintance with women like her forms the
manners, and refines the intellect; but charming women are dangerous, and
Madame di Negra is--a charming woman.'"

The marchesa's face flushed. Randal resumed: "'Your fair acquaintance'
(I am still quoting Egerton) 'seeks to dis cover the home of a countryman
of hers. She suspects that I know it. She may try to learn it through
you. Accident may possibly give you the information she requires.
Beware how you betray it. By one such weakness I should judge of your
general character. He from whom a woman can extract a secret will never
be fit for public life.' Therefore, my dear marchesa, even supposing I
possess this secret, you would be no true friend of mine to ask me to
reveal what would imperil all my prospects. For as yet," added Randal,
with a gloomy shade on his brow,--"as yet, I do not stand alone and
erect,--I lean, I am dependent."