He was the last man to whom the Duke wished to address himself,
but Fate seemed to have decided it, and the Duke walked up to him.
'Mr. Dacre, I am about to ask of you a favour to which I have no claim.'
Mr. Dacre looked a little confused, and murmured his willingness to do
anything.
'To be explicit, I am engaged in an affair of honour of an urgent
nature. Will you be my friend?'
'Willingly.' He spoke with more ease. 'May I ask the name of the other
party, the--the cause of the meeting?'
'The other party is Sir Lucius Grafton.'
'Hum!' said Arundel Dacre, as if he were no longer curious about the
cause. 'When do you meet?'
'At half-past six, in Kensington Gardens, to-morrow; I believe I should
say this morning.'
'Your Grace must be wearied,' said Arundel, with unusual ease and
animation. 'Now, follow my advice. Go home at once and get some rest.
Give yourself no trouble about preparations; leave everything to me.
I will call upon you at half-past five precisely, with a chaise and
post-horses, which will divert suspicion. Now, good night!'
'But really, your rest must be considered; and then all this trouble!'
'Oh! I have been in the habit of sitting up all night.
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