_CHAPTER XIV_
_In the Siren Country_
With the king, admiration stood for affection, a mistake frequently
made by people not given to self-analysis, and in a day or two a
reaction set in toward Brandon which inspired a desire to make some
amends for his harsh treatment. This he could not do to any great
extent, on Buckingham's account; at least, not until the London loan
was in his coffers, but the fact that Brandon was going to New Spain
so soon and would be out of the way, both of Mary's eyes and Mary's
marriage, stimulated that rare flower in Henry's heart, a good
resolve, and Brandon was offered his old quarters with me until such
time as he should sail for New Spain.
He had never abandoned this plan, and now that matters had taken this
turn with Mary and the king, his resolution was stronger than ever, in
that the scheme held two recommendations and a possibility.
The recommendations were, first, it would take him away from Mary,
with whom--when out of the inspiring influence of her buoyant
hopefulness--he knew marriage to be utterly impossible; and second,
admitting and facing that impossibility, he might find at least
partial relief from his heartache in the stirring events and
adventures of that faraway land of monsters, dragons, savages and
gold.
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