The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 202: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

— 196 THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI’S YOUNG CAPTAIN. He was a young insipid ape ; yet he wore upon his breast the ribbons and insignia of many orders. Orders, truly, which Mr. Lancaster was not aware could be bought from five pounds upwards. : This important, self-inflated, padded, walking advertisement of a tailor’s bill he had never paid, and, moreover, never intended to pay, had been a frequent visitor during the old banker’s sojourn in Leghorn, and rejoiced in the princely income of about £200 a year. é In truth, so attracted had he been by Nelly’s reputed wealth, that he had followed her about from city to city, and would haye proposed for her hand long before only the Marquis de Sangri had stood in the way. And as De Sangri, as we have seen, was a great bully and duellist, this timid “nobleman” very wisely stood aloof until he had been “put out of the way ” by Frank’s well-directed bullet. ‘““Well, Baron Vermicelli,” said old Lancaster, with a look of fatherly importance, “I have heard your proposal for my daughter’s hand; but, you know, no one but the son of the best family in Italy could ever hope to obtain it.” The baron smiled and bowed, He was able if need be, he said, to show Mr. Lancaster that he was the lineal descendant of Cesar Augustus, Which he could easily do, he knew, by procuring at one sovereign’s expense some heraldist to trace his genealogical tree as far back as he liked even up to Noah, or Adam himself. ““But there are more considerations than title, even,” said the banker; “I should not like my daughter to marry against her will.” “Oh, not for worlds,” said the baron, twirling his moustaches, ‘‘In the meantime, baron,” said the old man, *‘T will think over the matter, and, as you seem to have been on very good terms with my daughter, I have no doubt but that the issue will prove favourable to your suit, and that the illustrious house of Vermicelli will not be in any way lowered by an alliance with the equally distinguished family of Lancaster.” The baron bowed himself out, and in a few mo- ments Nelly found herself in the presence of her pompous father, “Nelly, my darling,” he began, “do you know the Baron Vermicelli ?” ‘Yes, father.” “Well, my dear, he has proposed for your hand in marriage,”’ ““ My hand, father?” said Nelly, laughing. “Yes, your hand ; he is of noble family, and can trace back to the time of the Czesars,”’ “Really, father, you cannot be serious in this matter,” said Nelly, biting her lip in annoyance. “But J am, though,” said old Lancaster, with a look of displeasure ; ‘I have riches, and he has title, a very good exchange, I think. Think how it would sound in English society—‘ the charming young Baroness de Vermicelli,’ ” Nelly laughed right out at her father’s pompous manner, and afterwards said, calmly, but with an arch smile, “TI think the ‘Countess de Maccaroni’ would sound much better,” “I do not like your girlish whims,” said old Lancaster, with a frown, ‘I have made up my mind on this match, and it must be as I wish,” “ ee you have me marry a man I could never Ove?” ‘Love? Fiddlesticks! What's love? It’s all moonshine and shilly-shally, baby, girlish twaddle, Position is everything. He seems to be a nice young nobleman, and his attire——”’ “Proves him to be a brainless ape,” said Nelly, in scorn. ‘‘ He is well enough in a drawing-room, and can be as namby-pamby as any one; but he will never be my husband !” * Daughter.” “‘ Wather.”’ : “JT do not understand this foolish mood of yours.” ‘“Nor I, father, understand why you should wish me to become the wife of the man I could never love.” There was a majesty in Nelly’s manner that took her foolish parent by surprise. He opened his eyes still wider, as she went on—_ ‘‘ Marriage, father, is not for a day, but for a life, When I marry, it must be to a gentleman of my own choice. Give me virtue in preference to wealth ; ‘ love I would exchange for rank, and riches I would freely fling to the winds for an honest man—such an one I already love. Not all the world will change me, and, whether I be rich or poor, my affection will remain still the same—yes, as unaltered as his affection is for me.” ‘‘ You love already, you say ?” “T do.” ‘“And who may be the person, Nell? I think I guess who it once was—De Sangri !” “De Sangri? Never!” “Who then, Nell?” said old Lancaster, relenting, “‘ Whoever it be, I know he must be noble, handsome, _ talented and brave.” He is all that, my father, and more,” said Nell, falling on her knees before him, at the same time tears flowed from her eyes, ‘ He is all you describe, father dear, and more.” | ‘“T do not understand you.” ‘He is poor,” said Nelly; ‘‘but I love him all the more for that.” Old Lancaster frowned, as he said, “His name ?” “Frank Ford,” ‘What !” “ Frank Ford.” Old Lancaster hastily rose from his seat, He was red with vexation and passion. ‘Mention not his name again, as you are my daughter.”’ ‘Why not, father ?,What harm has he ever done 2” “I hate him,” said old Lancaster. As he spoke, he disengaged his hand from those of his daughter, and thrust her from him. As he left the apartment, he turned round, cast e mes of withering scorn upon Nelly, as he mut- ered, “Frank Ford! I hate the very name, and would rather see you dead at my feet, Nell, than ever con- sent to such an unequal match,” CHAPTER LXXIX, FATTY FIGHTS WITH THE BLACK SPECTRE OF THE RUINS, AND DANCES WITH A SKELETON, ““AND how have all the lads behaved themselves since I have been away, Hugh,” said Frank, one evening, as they were sailing merrily and gaily across the Atlantic, on their way to the sunny land of Mexico, ‘Oh, nothing could have been better,” replied Hugh, “they acted on all occasions worthy of their name and nation, and were the pride and admiration of all with whom they came in contact.” GEomichbooks co