His colleagues looked at him in
consternation. The worst, then, had happened!
A gleam of triumph shot into the eyes of Mr. Blithers. His heart
swelled. He felt himself stepping out upon safe, solid ground after a
period of floundering. The very best, then, had happened!
"My lords, I find that my half-hour is almost up," he said, pulling
out his gold watch and comparing its time with that of the clock on
the wall. "Permit me to take my departure. I am content to let
matters shape themselves as they may. Shakespeare says 'there is a
destiny that shapes our ends, rough hew them'--er--and so forth.
Allow me, however, before leaving, to assure you of my most kindly
interest in the welfare of your State. You may be pleased to know
that it is not from me that Graustark--did I get it right that time?
--will redeem her bonds when they mature, but from my only daughter.
She is nearly twenty-one years of age. On her twenty-fifth birthday I
shall present to her--as a gift--all of my holdings in Graustark. She
may do as she sees fit with them.
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