I thanked her and wished her good-night while I was still capable of smiling.
At my next interview with Colonel Goodwin he spoke promptly on the subject of my wanderings.

I was of an age, he said, to know my own interests.

No doubt filial affection was excellent in its way, but in fact it was highly questionable whether my father was still at the Court of this German prince; my father had stated that he meant to visit England to obtain an interview with his son, and I might miss him by a harum-scarum chase over Germany.

And besides, was I not offending my grandfather and my aunt, to whom I owed so much?
He appealed to my warmest feelings on their behalf.

This was just the moment, he said, when there was a turning-point in my fortunes.