"Jenny should be here in a minute, and before she comes I must tell you
she does not know the importance of our undertaking. She is the servant
to Mrs. Misset, who attends your Highness into Italy. We did not let her
into the secret. We made up a comedy in which you have your parts to
play. Your Highness," and he turned to Clementina, "is a rich Austrian
heiress, deeply enamoured of Captain Lucius O'Toole."
"Captain Lucius O'Toole!" exclaimed the mother, in horror. "My daughter
enamoured of a Captain Lucius O'Toole!"
"He is one of my three companions," said Wogan, imperturbably.
"Moreover, he is six foot four, the most creditable lover in the world."
"Well," said Clementina, with a laugh, "I am deeply enamoured of the
engaging Captain Lucius O'Toole. Go on, sir."
"Your parents are of a most unexampled cruelty. They will not smile upon
the fascinating O'Toole, but have locked you up on bread and water until
you shall agree to marry a wealthy but decrepit gentleman of
eighty-three."
"I will not," cried Clementina; "I will starve myself to death first. I
will marry my six feet four or no other man in Christendom."
"Clementina!" cried her mother, deprecatingly.
"But at this moment," continued Wogan, "there very properly appears the
fairy godmother in the person of a romantical maiden aunt."
"Oh!" said Clementina, "I have a romantical maiden aunt."
"Yes," said Wogan, and turning with a bow to the Princess-mother; "your
Highness."
"I?" she exclaimed, starting up in her chair.
"Your Highness has written an encouraging letter to Captain O'Toole,"
resumed Wogan. The Princess-mother gasped, "A letter to Captain
O'Toole," and she flung up her hands and fell back in her chair.
"On the receipt of the letter Captain O'Toole gathers his friends,
borrows a horse here, a carriage there, and a hundred guineas from
Heaven knows whom, comes to the rescue like a knight-errant, and retells
the old story of how love laughs at locksmiths."
As Wogan ended, the mother rose from her chair. It may have been that
she revolted at the part she was to play; it may have been because a
fiercer gust shook the curtain and bellied it inwards. At all events she
flung the curtain aside; the snow drifted through the open window onto
the floor; outside the open window it was falling like a cascade, and
the air was icy.