There was but one idea on his
head as to what was coming. His son had taken this way of making
some communication to him respecting his political creed. Some
overture or some demand was to be preferred through Tregear. If
so, it was proof of a certain anxiety on the matter on his son's
part which was not displeasing to him. But he was not left long in
the mistake after Tregear had entered the room. 'Sir,' he said,
speaking quite at once, as soon as the door was closed behind him,
but still speaking very slowly, looking beautiful as Apollo as he
stood upright before his wished-for father-in-law--'Sir, I have
come to ask you to give me the hand of your daughter.' The few
words had been all arranged beforehand, and were now spoken
without any appearance of fear or shame. No one hearing them would
have imagined that an almost penniless young gentleman was asking
in marriage the daughter of the richest and greatest nobleman in
England.
'The hand of my daughter!' said the Duke, rising from his chair.
'I know how very great is the prize,' said Frank, 'and how
unworthy I am of it.
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