thatinstant
I
heard
a
thump
at
the
door
,
and
before
I
could
answer
,
in
walked
the
subject
of
my
meditation
.
"
Well
,
my
dear
old
fellow
,
"
said
Grandon
,
as
he
grasped
my
hand
warmly
,
"
how
mysterious
and
spasmodic
you
have
been
in
your
movements
!
I
was
afraid
even
now
,
if
I
had
not
invaded
the
sanctity
of
your
dressing-room
,
that
you
would
have
slipped
through
my
fingers
.
I
know
you
have
a
great
deal
to
tell
me
,
of
interest
to
us
both
,
and
we
are
too
fast
friends
to
hesitate
to
confide
in
each
other
on
any
matters
which
affect
our
happiness
.
True
men
never
have
any
reticence
as
between
themselves
;
they
only
have
recourse
to
that
armour
when
they
happen
to
be
cursed
with
false
friends
.
"
I
cannot
describe
my
feelings
during
this
speech
.
How
on
earth
was
I
to
avoid
reticence
?
how
show
him
that
I
loved
and
trusted
him
when
I
had
just
been
elaborately
devising
a
speech
which
should
tell
him
nothing
?
and
I
thought
of
our
school
and
then
our
college
days
—
how
I
never
seemed
to
be
like
other
boys
or
other
men
of
my
own
age
—
and
how
when
nobody
understood
me
Grandon
did
,
and
how
when
nobody
defended
my
peculiarities
Grandon
did
—
how
he
protected
and
advised
me
at
first
out
of
sheer
compassion
,
until
at
last
I
had
become
as
a
younger
brother
to
him
.
How
distressed
he
was
when
I
gave
up
diplomacy
,
and
how
anxious
during
the
five
years
that
I
was
exploring
in
the
Far
West
and
gold-digging
in
Australia
!
and
how
nothing
but
his
letters
ever
induced
me
to
leave
the
wild
reckless
life
that
possessed
such
a
wonderful
charm
for
me
;
and
how
he
bore
with
my
wilfulness
and
vanity
—
for
the
faults
of
my
character
at
such
moments
would
become
painfully
apparent
to
me
;
and
how
now
I
was
going
to
return
it
all
,
by
allowing
him
to
suppose
that
I
had
deliberately
plotted
against
his
happiness
,
and
ruthlessly
sapped
the
solid
foundations
upon
which
our
life
's
friendship
had
been
built
.
He
saw
these
painful
thoughts
reflected
but
too
accurately
upon
my
face
,
for
he
had
been
accustomed
to
read
it
for
so
many
years
,
and
he
smiled
a
look
of
encouragement
and
kindliness
.
"
Come
,
"
he
said
,
"
I
will
tell
you
exactly
,
first
,
everything
I
suspect
,
and
then
everything
I
know
,
and
then
what
I
think
about
it
,
so
that
you
will
have
as
little
of
the
labour
of
revelation
as
possible
.
First
of
all
,
I
suspect
that
you
imagine
that
I
had
proposed
to
Lady
Ursula
Newlyte
before
we
met
the
other
day
at
Dickiefield
:
I
need
not
say
that
in
that
case
I
should
have
told
you
as
much
upon
the
evening
we
parted
;
I
pledge
you
my
word
I
have
never
uttered
a
syllable
to
Lady
Ursula
from
which
she
could
suspect
the
state
of
my
feelings
towards
her
,
and
she
has
never
given
me
any
indication
that
she
returned
my
affection
;
I
therefore
did
not
mention
myself
when
you
told
me
your
intention
of
proposing
to
her
at
Dickiefield
;
I
only
do
so
now
in
consequence
of
a
letter
which
I
received
from
Lady
Broadhem
last
night
.
"
"
A
letter
from
Lady
Broadhem
?
"
said
I
,
aghast
.
"
Yes
,
"
he
said
,
"
in
which
she
encloses
a
copy
of
one
of
yours
containing
a
proposal
to
Lady
Ursula
,
and
informs
me
that
you
were
aware
,
when
you
made
it
,
of
the
difficulties
you
might
have
to
encounter
through
me
.
She
goes
on
to
say
that
,
whatever
may
have
been
her
daughter
's
feelings
towards
me
at
one
time
,
they
have
completely
changed
,
as
she
at
once
accepted
you
;
and
she
winds
up
with
the
rather
unnecessary
remark
that
this
is
the
less
to
be
regretted
by
me
,
as
under
no
circumstances
would
I
have
obtained
either
her
consent
or
that
of
Lord
Broadhem
.
And
so
,
"
my
poor
friend
went
on
,
but
his
lips
were
quivering
,
and
I
turned
away
my
eyes
to
avoid
seeing
the
effort
it
cost
him
—
"
and
so
,
you
see
,
my
dear
Frank
,
it
is
all
for
the
best
.
In
the
first
place
,
she
never
loved
me
.
I
have
too
high
an
opinion
of
her
to
suppose
that
if
she
had
,
she
would
have
accepted
you
;
in
the
second
,
she
would
never
have
married
me
against
her
mother
's
consent
—
and
so
,
even
if
she
had
loved
me
,
we
should
have
both
been
miserable
;
and
thirdly
,
if
there
is
one
thing
that
could
console
me
under
such
a
blow
,
it
is
,
that
the
man
she
loves
,
and
the
family
approve
,
is
my
dear
old
friend
,
who
is
far
more
worthy
the
happiness
in
store
for
him
than
I
should
have
been
.
"
He
put
his
hand
kindly
on
my
shoulder
as
his
strong
voice
shook
with
the
force
of
his
suppressed
emotion
,
and
I
bowed
my
head
.
I
felt
utterly
humiliated
by
a
magnanimity
so
noble
,
and
by
a
tenderness
surpassing
that
of
women
.
I
thanked
God
at
that
moment
that
Lady
Ursula
did
not
love
me
,
and
I
vowed
that
Lady
Broadhem
should
bitterly
expiate
her
sins
against
us
both
.
Here
,
then
,
was
the
secret
of
her
refusing
to
acknowledge
that
she
had
stolen
my
missing
letter
at
Dickiefield
,
and
this
was
the
precious
use
she
had
made
of
it
.
The
question
now
was
,
What
was
to
be
done
?
But
my
mind
was
paralysed
—
all
its
strength
seemed
expended
in
vowing
vengeance
against
Lady
Broadhem
.
When
I
tried
to
form
a
sentence
of
explanation
to
Grandon
,
my
brain
refused
its
functions
;
I
felt
as
if
I
were
in
a
net
,
and
that
the
slightest
movement
on
my
part
would
entangle
me
more
inextricably
in
its
meshes
.
The
last
resolution
I
had
come
to
before
he
entered
the
room
was
on
no
account
to
tell
him
anything
,
and
this
resolution
had
now
become
an
idée
fixe
.
I
had
not
clearness
of
mind
at
the
moment
to
decide
whether
it
was
right
or
wrong
.
I
felt
that
when
my
head
was
clear
I
had
come
to
the
conclusion
that
it
was
best
,
so
I
stuck
to
it
now
.
True
,
it
involved
leaving
him
in
the
delusion
that
Ursula
and
I
were
engaged
—
but
was
it
altogether
certain
to
remain
a
delusion
?
Did
Lady
Ursula
really
care
for
him
?
I
had
only
Lady
Broadhem
's
word
for
it
.
Again
,
had
I
anything
better
to
give
him
?
would
it
be
a
comfort
to
him
to
hear
the
Chundango
alternative
?
These
in
a
confused
way
were
the
thoughts
which
flitted
across
my
brain
in
this
moment
of
doubt
and
difficulty
,
so
I
said
nothing
.
He
misinterpreted
my
silence
,
and
thought
me
overwhelmed
with
remorse
at
the
part
I
had
played
.
"
Believe
me
,
"
he
said
,
"
I
do
not
think
one
particle
the
worse
of
you
for
what
you
have
done
;
I
know
how
difficult
it
is
to
control
one
's
feelings
in
moments
of
passion
;
and
you
see
you
were
quite
right
not
to
believe
Lady
Broadhem
when
she
told
you
Ursula
cared
for
me
.
"
"
I
had
already
written
the
letter
,
"
I
stammered
out
.
"
Of
course
you
had
:
I
never
supposed
you
could
do
the
dishonourable
thing
of
hearing
she
cared
about
me
first
,
and
writing
to
her
afterwards
,
although
Lady
Broadhem
said
so
.
When
you
did
make
the
discovery
that
Lady
Ursula
's
affections
were
not
already
engaged
,
you
were
perfectly
right
to
win
her
if
you
could
.
I
only
bargain
that
you
ask
me
to
be
your
best
man
.
"
This
was
a
well-meant
but
such
a
very
unsuccessful
attempt
at
resignation
on
Grandon
's
part
,
that
it
touched
me
to
the
quick
.
"
My
dear
Grandon
,
"
I
said
—
and
I
saw
my
face
in
the
glass
opposite
,
looking
white
and
stony
with
the
effort
it
cost
me
not
to
fall
upon
his
neck
and
cry
like
a
woman
—
"
I
solemnly
swear
,
whatever
you
may
think
now
,
that
the
day
will
come
when
you
will
find
that
I
was
worthy
the
privilege
of
having
been
even
your
friend
.
I
was
going
to
say
,
Till
then
,
believe
me
and
trust
me
;
but
I
need
not
,
for
I
know
that
,
however
unnatural
it
seems
for
me
to
ask
you
not
to
allude
again
to
the
subject
we
have
just
been
discussing
,
you
will
be
satisfied
that
I
would
not
ask
it
without
having
a
reason
which
if
you
knew
you
would
approve
.
On
my
conscience
I
believe
that
I
am
right
in
reserving
from
you
my
full
confidence
for
the
first
time
in
my
life
;
but
do
not
let
the
fact
of
one
forbidden
topic
alienate
us
—
let
it
rather
act
as
another
link
,
hidden
for
the
moment
,
but
which
may
some
day
prove
the
most
powerful
to
bind
us
together
.
"
Grandon
's
face
lit
up
with
a
bright
frank
smile
.
"
I
trust
and
believe
in
you
from
the
bottom
of
my
soul
,
and
you
shall
bury
any
subject
you
like
till
it
suits
you
to
exhume
it
.
Come
,
we
will
go
to
breakfast
,
and
I
will
discourse
to
you
on
the
political
and
military
expediency
of
spending
—
200
,
000
on
the
fortifications
of
Quebec
.
"
"
Well
,
"
thought
I
,
as
I
followed
Grandon
down-stairs
,
"
for
a
man
who
is
yearning
to
be
honest
,
and
to
do
the
right
thing
by
everybody
,
I
have
got
into
as
elaborate
a
complication
of
lies
as
if
I
were
a
Russian
diplomatist
.
First
,
I
have
given
both
Lady
Broadhem
and
Grandon
distinctly
to
understand
that
I
am
at
this
moment
engaged
to
Ursula
,
which
I
am
not
;
and
secondly
,
I
have
solemnly
assured
that
young
lady
herself
that
I
am
conscious
of
being
occasionally
mad
.
"
In
this
tissue
of
falsehoods
,
it
is
poor
consolation
to
think
that
the
only
one
in
which
there
may
be
some
foundation
of
truth
is
the
last
.
Supposing
I
was
to
go
in
for
dishonesty
,
perhaps
I
could
not
help
telling
the
truth
by
the
rule
of
"
contraries
.
"
I
will
go
and
ask
the
Honourable
Spiffington
whether
he
finds
this
to
be
the
case
,
and
I
parted
from
Grandon
in
the
hope
of
catching
that
gentleman
before
he
had
betaken
himself
to
his
civic
haunts
.
I
was
too
late
,
and
pursued
him
east
of
Temple
Bar
.
Here
he
frequented
sundry
"
board-rooms
"
of
companies
which
by
a
figure
of
speech
he
helped
to
"
direct
,
"
and
was
also
to
be
found
in
the
neighbourhood
of
Hercules
Passage
and
the
narrow
streets
which
surround
the
Stock
Exchange
,
in
the
little
back
dens
of
pet
brokers
upon
whom
he
relied
for
"
good
things
.
"
Spiffy
used
to
collect
political
news
in
fashionable
circles
all
through
the
night
and
up
to
an
early
hour
of
the
morning
,
and
then
come
into
the
City
with
it
red-hot
,
so
as
to
"
operate
.
"
He
was
one
of
the
most
lively
little
rabbits
to
be
found
in
all
that
big
warren
of
which
the
Bank
is
the
centre
,
and
popped
in
and
out
of
the
different
holes
with
a
quickness
that
made
him
very
difficult
to
catch
.
At
last
I
ran
him
to
a
very
dingy
earth
,
where
he
was
pausing
,
seated
on
a
green
baize
table
over
a
glass
of
sherry
and
a
biscuit
,
and
chaffing
a
rising
young
broker
who
hoped
ultimately
to
be
proposed
by
Spiffy
for
the
Piccadilly
Club
.
He
was
trying
to
establish
a
claim
thereto
now
,
on
the
strength
of
having
been
at
Mrs
Gorgon
Tompkins
's
ball
on
the
previous
evening
.
"
It
is
rather
against
you
than
otherwise
,
"
said
Spiffy
,
who
was
an
extremely
off-hand
little
fellow
,
and
did
not
interrupt
his
discourse
after
he
had
nodded
to
me
familiarly
;
"
I
ca
n't
afford
to
take
you
up
yet
;
indeed
,
what
have
you
ever
done
to
merit
it
?
and
Mrs
Gorgon
Tompkins
has
enough
to
do
this
season
to
keep
her
own
head
above
water
without
attempting
to
float
you
.
I
did
what
I
could
for
her
last
night
,
but
she
ca
n't
expect
to
go
on
with
her
successes
of
last
year
.
We
had
a
regular
scene
at
6
A.M.
this
morning
,
'
in
banquet
halls
deserted
'
—
tears
,
and
all
that
sort
of
thing
—
nobody
present
but
self
,
Gorgon
,
and
partner
.
We
took
our
last
year
's
list
,
and
compared
them
with
the
invitations
sent
out
this
year
.
The
results
were
painful
;
only
the
fag-end
of
the
diplomatic
corps
had
responded
—
none
of
the
great
European
powers
present
,
and
our
own
Cabinet
most
slenderly
represented
.
Obliged
to
resort
for
young
men
to
the
byways
and
hedges
;
no
expense
spared
,
and
yet
the
whole
affair
a
miserable
failure
.
"
"
Have
you
tried
lobsters
boiled
in
champagne
at
supper
,
as
a
draw
?
"
said
I
.
"
No
,
"
said
Spiffy
,
looking
at
me
with
admiration
;
"
I
did
not
know
this
sort
of
thing
was
in
your
line
,
Frank
.
"
He
had
not
the
least
right
to
call
me
Frank
;
but
as
everybody
,
whether
they
knew
him
or
not
,
called
him
Spiffy
,
he
always
anticipated
this
description
of
familiarity
.
"
To
tell
you
the
truth
,
I
could
pull
the
Tompkinses
through
another
season
,
but
I
am
keeping
all
my
best
ideas
for
the
Bodwinkles
.
Bodwinkles
'
first
ball
is
to
cost
—
2000.
He
wanted
me
to
do
it
for
—
1500
,
and
I
should
have
been
able
to
do
it
for
that
if
Mrs
Bodwinkle
had
had
any
h
'
s
;
but
the
crême
,
de
la
crême
require
an
absence
of
aspirations
to
be
made
up
to
them
somehow
.
Oh
,
with
the
extra
£
500
I
can
do
it
easily
,
"
said
Spiffy
,
with
an
air
of
self-complacency
.
"
She
is
a
comparatively
young
woman
,
you
see
,
without
daughters
;
that
simplifies
matters
very
much
.
And
then
Bodwinkle
can
be
so
much
more
useful
to
political
men
than
Gorgon
Tompkins
;
the
only
fear
is
that
he
may
commit
himself
at
a
late
hour
at
the
supper-table
,
but
I
have
hit
on
a
notion
which
will
overcome
all
these
possible
contretemps
.
"
"
What
is
that
?
"
said
I
,
curiously
.
"
In
confidence
,
I
do
n't
mind
telling
you
,
as
you
are
not
in
the
line
yourself
;
but
it
is
a
master-stroke
of
genius
.
Like
all
great
ideas
,
its
merit
lies
in
its
simplicity
.
"
"
Do
n't
keep
us
any
longer
in
suspense
;
I
promise
not
to
appropriate
it
.
"
"
Well
,
"
said
Spiffy
,
triumphantly
,
"
I
am
going
to
pay
the
aristocracy
to
come
!
"
"
Pay
them
!
"
said
I
,
really
astounded
;
"
how
on
earth
are
you
going
to
get
them
to
take
the
money
?
"
"
Ah
,
that
is
the
secret
.
Wait
till
the
Bodwinkles
'
ball
.
You
will
see
how
delicately
I
shall
contrive
it
;
a
great
deal
more
neatly
than
you
do
when
you
leave
your
doctor
's
fee
mysteriously
wrapped
in
paper
upon
his
mantelpiece
.
I
shall
no
more
hurt
that
high
sense
of
honour
,
and
that
utter
absence
of
anything
like
snobbism
which
characterises
the
best
London
Society
,
than
a
French
cook
would
offend
the
nostrils
of
his
guests
with
an
overpowering
odour
of
garlic
;
but
it
is
a
really
grand
idea
.
"
"
Worthy
of
Julius
C
—
sar
,
Charlemagne
,
or
the
first
Napoleon
,
"
said
I
;
"
posterity
will
recognise
you
as
a
social
giant
with
a
mission
,
if
the
small
men
and
the
envious
of
the
present
day
refuse
to
do
so
.
"
"
I
do
n't
mind
telling
you
,
"
Spiffy
went
on
,
"
that
the
idea
first
occurred
to
me
in
a
Scotch
donkey-circus
,
where
I
won
,
as
a
prize
for
entering
the
show
,
a
red
plush
waistcoat
worth
five
shillings
.
The
fact
is
,
Bodwinkle
is
so
anxious
to
get
people
,
he
would
go
to
any
expense
;
he
has
even
offered
me
a
commission
on
all
the
accepted
invitations
I
send
out
for
him
,
graduated
on
a
scale
proportioned
to
the
rank
of
the
acceptor
.
I
am
afraid
it
would
not
be
considered
quite
the
right
thing
to
take
it
;
what
do
you
think
?
"
"
I
doubt
whether
society
would
stand
that
.
You
must
bring
them
to
it
gradually
.
At
present
,
I
feel
sure
they
would
draw
the
line
at
a
'
commission
.
'
Apropos
of
the
Bodwinkles
,
I
want
to
have
a
little
private
conversation
with
you
.
"
"
I
am
awfully
done
,
"
said
Spiffy
.
"
I
never
went
to
bed
at
all
last
night
.
I
got
some
information
about
Turkish
certificates
before
I
went
to
the
Tompkinses
;
then
I
stayed
there
till
past
six
,
and
had
to
come
on
here
at
ten
to
turn
what
I
knew
to
account
.
However
,
go
ahead
;
what
is
it
in
?
Jones
here
will
do
it
for
you
.
No
need
of
mystery
between
us
.
'
Cosmopolitan
district
'
is
the
sort
of
thing
I
can
conscientiously
recommend
—
I
'll
tell
you
why
:
I
went
down
to
the
lobby
of
the
House
last
night
on
purpose
to
hear
what
the
fellows
were
saying
who
prowl
about
there
pushing
what
my
wretched
tailor
would
call
'
a
little
bill
'
through
Committee
.
It
is
becoming
a
sort
of
'
ring
,
'
and
the
favourites
last
night
were
light
Cosmopolitans
.
"
"
What
on
earth
are
they
as
distinguished
from
heavy
?
"
I
asked
.
"
Jones
,
show
his
lordship
the
stock-list
,
"
said
Spiffy
,
with
a
swagger
.
The
investigation
of
the
"
list
"
completely
bewildered
me
.
Why
a
—
10
share
should
be
worth
—
19
,
and
a
—
100
share
worth
—
99
,
10s
.
,
in
the
same
company
,
was
not
evident
on
the
face
of
the
document
before
me
,
so
I
looked
into
Spiffy
's
.
"
Puzzling
,
is
n't
it
?
"
said
Spiffy
.
"
Very
,
"
I
replied
.
"
Now
tell
me
,
"
and
I
turned
innocently
towards
Mr
Jones
,
for
Spiffy
's
expression
was
secretive
and
mysterious
—
"
explain
to
me
how
it
is
that
a
share
upon
which
only
—
10
has
been
paid
,
should
be
so
much
more
valuable
than
one
which
has
been
fully
paid
up
.
"
"
Ask
the
syndicate
,
"
said
Jones
,
looking
at
Spiffy
in
a
significant
way
.
I
felt
quite
startled
,
for
I
expected
to
see
a
group
of
foreigners
composing
this
institution
walk
into
the
room
.
It
was
not
until
I
had
looked
again
to
Spiffy
for
information
,
and
was
met
by
the
single
open
eye
of
that
gentleman
,
that
I
drew
an
inference
and
a
very
long
breath
.
"
Spiffy
,
"
I
said
,
"
I
am
getting
stifled
—
the
moral
atmosphere
of
this
place
is
tainted
;
take
me
to
the
sweetest
board-room
in
the
neighbourhood
—
I
want
to
speak
to
you
on
private
business
.
"
"
Have
n't
time
,
"
said
Spiffy
,
looking
at
his
watch
.
"
Not
to
settle
little
Lady
Broadhem
's
little
affair
?
"
said
I
,
in
a
whisper
.
Spiffy
got
uncommonly
pale
,
but
recovered
himself
in
a
second
.
"
All
right
,
old
fellow
;
"
and
he
poured
a
few
hurried
words
in
an
incomprehensible
dialect
into
Jones
's
ear
,
and
led
the
way
to
the
Suburban
Washing-ground
Company
's
board-room
,
which
was
the
most
minute
apartment
of
the
kind
I
had
ever
seen
.
I
shall
not
enter
into
the
particulars
of
what
passed
between
Spiffy
and
myself
on
this
occasion
.
In
the
first
place
,
it
is
so
dry
that
it
would
bore
you
;
in
the
second
place
,
it
was
so
complicated
,
and
Spiffy
's
explanations
seemed
to
complicate
it
so
much
the
more
,
that
I
could
not
make
it
clear
to
you
if
I
wished
;
and
,
in
the
last
,
I
do
not
feel
justified
in
divulging
all
Lady
Broadhem
's
money
difficulties
and
private
crises
.
Suffice
it
to
say
,
that
in
the
course
of
our
conversation
Spiffy
was
obliged
to
confide
to
me
many
curious
facts
connected
with
his
own
line
of
life
,
and
more
especially
with
the
peculiar
functions
which
he
exercised
in
his
capacity
of
a
"
syndic
,
"
under
the
seal
of
solemn
secrecy
.
Without
the
hold
over
him
which
this
little
insight
into
his
transactions
has
given
me
,
I
should
not
be
able
to
report
so
much
of
our
conversation
as
I
have
.
Nevertheless
I
thought
it
right
to
tell
him
how
much
of
it
he
would
shortly
see
in
print
.
"
Gracious
,
Frank
,
"
said
Spiffy
,
petrified
with
alarm
,
"
you
do
n't
mean
to
say
you
are
going
to
publish
all
I
told
you
about
the
Gorgon
Tompkinses
and
the
Bodwinkles
?
How
am
I
ever
to
keep
them
going
if
you
do
?
Besides
,
there
are
a
number
of
other
fellows
in
the
same
line
as
I
am
.
Just
conceive
the
injury
you
will
inflict
upon
society
generally
—
nobody
will
thank
you
.
The
rich
'
middles
'
who
are
looking
forward
to
this
kind
of
advancement
will
be
furious
;
all
of
us
'
promoters
'
will
hate
you
,
and
'
la
haute
'
will
probably
cut
you
.
Why
ca
n't
you
keep
quiet
,
instead
of
trying
to
get
yourself
and
everybody
else
into
hot
water
?
"
"
Spiffy
,
"
said
I
,
solemnly
,
"
when
I
devoted
myself
to
'
mission
work
,
'
as
they
call
it
in
Exeter
Hall
,
I
counted
the
cost
,
as
you
will
see
on
referring
back
to
my
first
chapter
.
I
am
still
only
at
the
beginning
.
I
have
a
long
and
heavy
task
before
me
;
but
my
only
excuse
for
remaining
in
society
is
that
I
am
labouring
for
its
regeneration
.
"
"
You
wo
n't
remain
in
it
long
,
"
said
Spiffy
,
"
if
you
carry
on
in
your
present
line
.
What
do
you
want
to
do
?
Eradicate
snobbism
from
the
British
breast
?
—
never
!
We
should
all
,
from
the
highest
to
the
lowest
,
perish
of
inanition
without
it
.
"
"
Society
,
"
said
I
,
becoming
metaphorical
,
"
is
like
a
fluid
which
is
pervaded
by
that
ingredient
which
you
call
'
snobbism
,
'
the
peculiarity
of
which
is
that
you
find
it
in
equal
perfection
when
it
sinks
to
the
bottom
and
becomes
dregs
,
and
when
it
rises
to
the
surface
and
becomes
cr
—
me
—
though
of
course
it
undergoes
some
curious
chemical
changes
,
according
to
its
position
.
However
,
that
is
only
one
of
the
elements
which
pollute
what
should
be
a
transparent
fluid
.
I
am
subjecting
it
just
now
to
a
most
minute
and
careful
analysis
,
and
I
feel
sure
I
shall
succeed
in
obtaining
an
interesting
'
precipitate
.
'
I
do
most
earnestly
trust
both
you
and
the
world
at
large
will
profit
by
my
experiments
.
"
"
Frank
,
you
are
a
lunatic
,
"
said
Spiffy
,
with
a
yawn
,
for
I
was
beginning
to
bore
him
.
"
I
suppose
I
ca
n't
help
your
publishing
what
you
like
,
only
you
will
do
yourself
more
harm
than
me
.
Let
me
know
when
society
has
'
precipitated
'
you
out
of
it
,
and
I
will
come
and
see
you
.
Nobody
else
will
.
Good-bye
!
"
"
He
calls
me
a
lunatic
,
"
I
murmured
,
as
I
went
down-stairs
;
"
I
thought
that
I
should
be
most
likely
to
hear
the
truth
by
applying
to
the
Honourable
Spiffington
.
"
The
same
reasons
which
have
compelled
me
to
maintain
a
certain
reserve
in
relating
my
conversation
with
this
gentleman
prevent
me
fully
describing
the
steps
which
I
am
at
present
taking
to
arrange
Lady
Broadhem
's
affairs
,
and
which
will
occupy
me
during
the
Easter
recess
.
Now
,
thank
goodness
,
I
think
I
see
my
way
to
preventing
the
grand
crash
which
she
feared
,
but
I
decline
to
state
the
amount
of
my
own
fortune
which
will
be
sacrificed
in
the
operation
.
The
great
inconvenience
of
the
whole
proceeding
is
the
secrecy
which
it
necessarily
involves
.
Grandon
is
under
the
impression
that
I
am
gambling
on
the
Stock
Exchange
,
and
is
miserable
in
consequence
,
because
he
fancies
I
add
to
that
sin
the
more
serious
one
of
denying
it
.
Lady
Ursula
,
whom
I
have
avoided
seeing
alone
,
but
who
knows
that
I
am
constantly
plotting
in
secret
with
her
mother
,
is
no
doubt
beginning
to
think
that
I
am
wicked
as
well
as
mad
,
and
is
evidently
divided
between
the
secret
obligation
of
keeping
the
secret
of
my
insanity
,
and
her
dread
lest
in
some
way
or
other
her
mother
should
be
the
victim
of
it
.
Lady
Bridget
is
unmistakably
afraid
of
me
.
The
other
day
when
I
went
into
the
drawing-room
and
found
her
alone
,
she
turned
as
pale
as
a
sheet
,
jumped
up
,
and
stammered
out
something
about
going
to
find
mamma
,
and
rushed
out
of
the
room
.
Did
I
not
believe
in
Ursula
as
in
my
own
existence
,
I
could
almost
fancy
she
had
betrayed
me
.
Then
there
is
Broadhem
.
He
is
utterly
puzzled
.
He
knows
that
I
am
come
to
pull
the
family
out
of
the
mess
,
and
put
his
own
cherished
little
person
into
a
financially
sound
condition
;
and
he
is
equally
well
assured
that
I
would
not
make
this
sacrifice
without
feeling
certain
of
marrying
his
sister
.
But
,
in
the
first
place
,
that
any
man
should
sacrifice
anything
,
either
for
his
sister
or
any
other
woman
,
is
a
mystery
to
Broadhem
;
and
,
in
the
second
,
I
strongly
suspect
that
Ursula
has
said
something
which
makes
him
very
doubtful
whether
she
is
engaged
to
me
or
not
.
Poor
girl
!
I
feel
for
her
.
Was
ever
a
daughter
and
sister
before
placed
in
the
embarrassing
position
of
leaving
her
own
mother
and
brother
in
the
delusion
that
she
was
engaged
to
be
married
to
a
man
who
had
never
breathed
to
her
the
subject
of
his
love
,
much
less
of
matrimony
?
Then
Spiffy
and
Lady
Broadhem
's
lawyer
both
look
upon
the
marriage
as
settled
:
how
else
can
they
account
for
the
trouble
I
am
taking
,
and
the
liberality
I
am
displaying
?
There
is
something
mysterious
,
moreover
,
in
the
terms
upon
which
I
am
in
the
house
.
Lady
Broadhem
is
beginning
to
think
it
unnatural
that
I
should
not
care
to
see
more
of
Ursula
;
and
whenever
she
is
not
quite
absorbed
with
considering
her
own
affairs
,
is
making
the
arrangement
known
among
mammas
by
the
expression
,
"
bringing
the
young
people
together
"
—
as
if
any
young
people
who
really
cared
to
be
together
,
could
not
bring
themselves
together
without
mamma
or
anybody
else
interfering
.
Fortunately
Lady
Broadhem
is
so
much
more
taken
up
with
her
own
speculations
than
with
either
her
daughter
's
happiness
or
mine
,
that
I
am
always
able
to
give
the
conversation
a
City
turn
when
she
broaches
the
delicate
subject
of
Ursula
.
How
Ursula
manages
on
these
occasions
I
cannot
conceive
,
but
I
do
my
best
to
prevent
Lady
Broadhem
talking
about
me
to
her
,
as
I
always
say
mysteriously
,
that
if
she
does
,
"
it
will
spoil
everything
"
—
an
alarming
phrase
,
which
produces
an
immediate
effect
.
Still
it
is
quite
clear
that
this
kind
of
thing
ca
n't
continue
long
.
If
I
can
only
keep
matters
going
for
a
few
days
more
,
they
will
all
be
out
of
town
for
Easter
,
and
that
will
give
me
time
to
breathe
.
As
it
is
,
it
is
impossible
to
shut
my
eyes
to
the
fact
,
that
my
best
friend
is
beginning
to
doubt
me
—
that
the
girl
I
love
dreads
me
—
and
that
the
rest
of
the
family
,
and
those
sufficiently
connected
with
it
to
observe
my
proceedings
,
either
pity
,
laugh
at
,
or
despise
me
.
This
,
however
,
by
no
means
prevents
their
using
their
utmost
endeavours
to
ruin
me
.
That
is
the
present
state
of
matters
.
The
situation
cannot
remain
unchanged
during
the
next
four
weeks
.
Have
I
your
sympathies
,
dear
reader
?
Do
you
wish
me
well
out
of
it
?
PART
IV
.
THE
WORLD
.
Piccadilly
,
May
.
The
great
difficulty
which
I
find
in
this
record
of
my
eventful
existence
is
,
that
I
have
too
much
to
say
.
The
sensations
of
my
life
will
not
distribute
themselves
properly
.
It
is
quite
impossible
for
me
to
cram
all
that
I
think
,
say
,
and
do
every
month
into
the
limited
space
at
my
disposal
.
Thus
I
am
positively
overwhelmed
with
the
brilliant
dialogues
,
the
elevating
reflections
,
and
the
thrilling
incidents
,
all
of
which
I
desire
to
relate
.
No
one
who
has
not
tried
this
sort
of
thing
can
imagine
the
chronological
,
to
say
nothing
of
the
crinological
,
difficulties
in
which
I
find
myself
.
For
instance
,
the
incidents
which
occupied
the
whole
of
my
last
chapter
took
place
in
twenty-four
hours
,
and
yet
how
could
I
have
left
out
either
the
poison-scene
,
or
my
interview
with
Grandon
,
or
Spiffy
's
interesting
social
projects
?
Much
better
have
left
out
the
poison-scene
,
say
some
of
my
critical
friends
.
It
was
not
natural
—
too
grotesque
;
but
is
that
my
fault
?
If
nature
has
jammed
me
into
a
most
unnatural
and
uncomfortable
niche
in
that
single
step
which
is
said
to
lead
from
the
sublime
to
the
ridiculous
,
am
I
responsible
for
it
?
If
,
instead
of
taking
merely
a
serio-comic
view
of
life
,
like
some
of
my
acquaintances
,
I
regard
it
from
a
tragic-burlesque
aspect
,
how
can
I
help
it
?
I
did
not
put
my
ideas
into
my
own
head
,
nor
invent
the
extraordinary
things
that
happen
to
me
,
—
and
this
is
the
reflection
which
renders
me
so
profoundly
indifferent
to
criticism
.
I
shall
have
reviewers
finding
out
that
I
am
inconsistent
with
myself
,
and
not
true
to
nature
here
—
as
,
for
instance
,
when
I
fell
violently
in
love
with
Ursula
in
one
evening
;
or
to
the
first
principles
of
art
there
—
as
when
I
wrote
to
propose
to
her
next
morning
:
as
if
both
art
and
nature
could
not
take
care
of
themselves
without
my
bothering
my
head
about
them
.
Once
for
all
,
then
,
my
difficulties
do
not
arise
from
this
source
at
all
;
they
are
,
as
I
have
said
before
,
of
the
most
simple
character
.
In
fact
,
they
resolve
themselves
into
Kant
's
two
great
a
priori
ideas
,
time
and
space
.
Now
I
could
quite
easily
run
on
in
the
moral
reflective
vein
to
the
end
of
the
chapter
,
but
then
what
should
I
do
with
the
conversations
which
I
ought
to
record
,
but
to
which
I
shall
not
be
able
to
do
justice
,
because
I
am
so
bound
and
fettered
by
the
chain
of
my
narrative
?
What
an
idea
of
weakness
it
conveys
of
an
author
who
talks
of
"
the
thread
of
his
narrative
!
"
I
even
used
to
feel
it
when
I
was
in
the
diplomatic
service
,
and
received
a
severe
"
wigging
"
once
for
writing
in
one
of
my
despatches
,
"
My
lord
,
I
have
the
honour
to
resume
the
'
tape
'
of
my
narrative
"
—
so
wedded
is
the
Foreign
Office
to
the
traditions
of
its
own
peculiar
style
.
I
was
glad
afterwards
they
kept
me
to
"
the
thread
,
"
as
when
I
wanted
finally
to
break
it
I
found
no
difficulty
.
By
the
way
,
after
I
have
done
with
society
,
I
am
going
to
take
up
the
departments
of
the
public
service
.
If
I
let
them
alone
just
now
,
it
is
only
because
I
am
so
desperately
in
love
,
and
my
love
is
so
desperately
hopeless
;
and
the
whole
thing
is
in
such
a
mess
,
that
one
mess
is
enough
.
At
present
I
am
setting
my
dwelling-house
in
order
.
When
that
is
done
I
will
go
to
work
to
clean
out
the
"
offices
.
"
I
may
also
allude
here
to
another
somewhat
embarrassing
circumstance
which
,
had
I
not
the
good
of
my
fellow-creatures
at
heart
,
might
interfere
with
the
progress
of
my
narrative
;
and
this
is
the
morbid
satisfaction
which
it
seems
to
afford
some
people
to
claim
for
themselves
the
credit
of
being
the
most
disagreeable
or
unworthy
of
those
individuals
with
whom
I
am
at
present
in
contact
.
They
would
pretend
,
for
instance
,
that
there
is
no
such
person
in
society
as
Spiffington
Goldtip
,
but
that
I
mean
him
to
represent
some
one
else
;
and
they
take
the
'
Court
Guide
,
'
and
find
that
no
Lady
Broadhem
lives
in
Grosvenor
Square
,
so
they
suppose
that
she
too
stands
for
some
one
else
who
does
.
Now
,
if
I
hear
much
of
this
sort
of
thing
I
shall
stop
altogether
.
In
the
first
place
,
neither
Spiffy
nor
Lady
Broadhem
will
like
it
;
and
in
the
second
,
it
is
very
disagreeable
to
me
to
be
supposed
to
caricature
my
acquaintances
under
false
names
.
The
cap
is
made
a
great
deal
too
large
to
fit
any
particular
individual
,
so
there
is
no
use
in
trying
it
on
;
but
when
,
perchance
,
I
find
groups
of
people
acting
unworthily
,
I
should
be
falling
into
the
same
error
for
which
I
blame
the
parsonic
body
of
the
present
day
,
if
I
shrank
from
exposing
and
cutting
straight
into
the
sores
that
they
are
fain
to
plaster
and
conceal
.
In
these
days
of
amateur
preaching
in
theatres
and
other
unconsecrated
buildings
,
I
feel
I
owe
no
apology
to
my
clerical
brethren
for
taking
their
congregations
in
hand
after
they
have
quite
done
with
them
.
People
may
call
me
a
"
physician
"
or
any
other
name
they
like
,
and
tell
me
to
heal
myself
;
but
it
is
quite
clear
that
a
sick
physician
who
needs
rest
,
and
yet
devotes
all
his
time
and
energies
to
the
curing
of
his
neighbours
,
is
a
far
more
unselfish
individual
than
one
who
waits
to
do
it
till
he
is
robust
.
Therefore
,
if
I
am
caught
doing
myself
the
very
things
I
find
fault
with
in
others
,
"
that
has
nothing
at
all
to
do
with
it
,
"
as
Lady
Broadhem
always
says
when
all
her
arguments
are
exhausted
.
Those
of
my
readers
who
have
taken
an
interest
in
her
ladyship
's
speculations
and
in
my
endeavours
to
extricate
her
from
her
pecuniary
embarrassments
,
may
conceive
our
feelings
upon
hearing
of
the
surrender
of
General
Lee
.
I
regret
to
say
that
,
in
spite
of
every
device
which
the
experience
of
Spiffy
,
of
Lady
Broadhem
's
lawyer
,
and
of
Lady
B
.
herself
could
suggest
,
her
liabilities
have
increased
to
such
an
extent
in
consequence
of
the
rapid
fall
of
Confederate
stock
,
that
I
was
obliged
to
take
advantage
of
the
Easter
recess
to
run
over
to
Ireland
to
make
arrangements
for
selling
an
extremely
encumbered
estate
which
I
purchased
as
a
speculation
some
years
ago
,
but
have
never
before
visited
.
This
trip
has
given
me
an
opportunity
of
enabling
me
thoroughly
to
master
the
Irish
question
.
I
need
scarcely
say
how
much
I
was
surprised
at
the
prosperous
condition
of
the
peasants
of
Connemara
after
the
accounts
I
had
received
of
them
.
When
I
"
surveyed
"
my
own
estate
,
which
consists
of
seven
miles
of
uninterrupted
rock
,
I
regarded
with
admiration
the
population
who
could
find
the
means
of
subsistence
upon
it
,
and
whose
rags
were
frequently
of
a
very
superior
quality
.
I
also
felt
how
creditable
it
was
to
the
British
Government
,
that
by
a
judicious
system
of
legislation
it
should
succeed
in
keeping
people
comparatively
happy
and
contented
,
whose
principal
occupation
seemed
to
me
to
consist
in
wading
about
the
sea-beach
looking
for
sea-weed
,
and
whose
diet
was
composed
of
what
they
found
there
.
That
every
Irishman
I
met
should
expect
me
to
lament
with
him
the
decrease
by
emigration
in
the
population
of
a
nation
which
subsists
chiefly
on
peat
and
periwinkles
,
illustrated
in
a
striking
manner
the
indifference
which
the
individuals
of
this
singular
race
have
for
each
other
's
sufferings
;
and
it
is
quite
a
mistake
,
therefore
,
to
suppose
that
absentee
landlords
,
who
are
for
the
most
part
Irish
,
live
away
from
their
properties
because
they
are
so
susceptible
to
the
sight
of
distress
that
they
cannot
bear
to
look
upon
their
own
tenantry
.
To
an
Englishman
nothing
is
more
consoling
than
to
feel
that
the
Irish
question
is
essentially
an
Irish
question
,
and
that
Englishmen
have
nothing
at
all
to
do
with
it
—
that
the
tenant-right
question
is
one
between
Irish
landlords
and
Irish
tenants
—
that
the
religious
question
is
one
between
Irish
Catholics
and
Irish
Protestants
—
and
that
the
reason
that
no
Englishman
can
understand
them
is
,
because
they
are
Irish
,
and
inverted
brains
would
be
necessary
to
their
comprehension
.
These
considerations
impressed
themselves
forcibly
upon
my
notice
at
a
meeting
of
the
National
League
,
which
I
attended
in
Dublin
,
the
object
of
which
was
to
secure
the
national
independence
of
Ireland
,
and
to
free
it
from
the
tyranny
of
British
rule
.
One
of
the
speakers
made
out
so
strong
a
case
for
England
,
that
I
could
only
account
for
it
by
the
fact
that
he
was
an
Irishman
arguing
the
case
of
his
own
country
.
"
How
,
"
he
asked
,
"
is
the
English
Parliament
to
know
our
grievances
,
when
out
of
105
members
that
we
send
up
to
it
,
there
are
not
two
who
are
honest
?
Why
is
not
the
O'Donoghue
in
the
chair
to-day
?
he
is
the
only
real
patriot
,
and
we
ca
n't
trust
him
.
Why
are
the
Irish
Protestants
not
true
to
themselves
and
the
cause
?
Why
,
in
fact
,
is
there
not
a
single
man
of
the
smallest
position
and
influence
either
on
the
platform
or
in
the
body
of
the
house
,
except
myself
,
who
am
a
magistrate
of
the
county
of
Cork
,
and
therefore
unable
to
advocate
those
violent
measures
by
which
alone
our
liberties
are
to
be
gained
?
Is
it
because
we
have
got
them
already
?
No
;
but
because
Irishmen
do
not
care
a
farthing
about
them
.
Shame
on
them
for
their
apathy
,
"
etc.
It
was
pleasant
to
listen
to
this
Irish
patriot
inveighing
against
his
countrymen
,
and
finally
making
England
responsible
for
Irishmen
being
what
they
are
.
Bless
them
!
my
heart
warmed
towards
them
as
I
saw
them
at
Queenstown
trooping
on
board
an
emigrant-ship
,
looking
ruddy
and
prosperous
,
bound
on
the
useful
errand
of
propagating
Fenianism
,
of
exhibiting
themselves
as
choice
specimens
of
an
oppressed
nationality
,
and
of
devoting
their
brilliant
political
instincts
,
their
indefatigable
industry
,
and
their
judicial
calmness
,
to
the
service
of
that
country
which
is
at
present
in
danger
of
suffering
from
a
determination
of
blood
to
the
head
in
the
person
of
Andy
Johnson
.
If
anything
can
trim
that
somewhat
crank
craft
"
United
States
,
"
let
us
hope
that
it
will
be
by
taking
in
Irishmen
at
the
rate
of
one
thousand
per
week
to
serve
as
ballast
;
for
most
certainly
the
best
means
of
increasing
the
sailing
qualities
of
the
leaky
old
tub
,
"
British
Constitution
,
"
will
be
by
inducing
the
ballast
aforesaid
to
throw
itself
overboard
.
I
was
pitching
and
rolling
abominably
between
Kingston
and
Holyhead
as
I
drew
this
appropriate
nautical
parallel
,
and
was
not
in
a
mood
to
relish
the
following
announcement
,
which
appeared
in
the
pages
of
a
fashionable
organ
,
that
happened
to
be
the
first
journal
I
bought
in
England
:
—
"
We
are
in
a
position
to
state
that
a
marriage
is
arranged
between
Lord
Frank
Vanecourt
,
M.P.
,
second
son
of
the
late
Duke
of
Dunderhead
,
and
Lady
Ursula
Newlyte
,
eldest
daughter
of
the
late
Earl
of
Broadhem
.
"
How
I
envied
"
our
position
,
"
and
what
a
very
different
one
mine
was
!
However
,
the
notice
served
its
purpose
,
for
it
prepared
me
for
what
I
should
have
to
encounter
in
London
—
the
sort
of
running
fire
of
congratulation
I
must
expect
to
undergo
all
along
Piccadilly
,
down
St
James
's
Street
,
and
along
Pall
Mall
.
Should
I
simper
a
coy
admission
,
or
storm
out
an
indignant
denial
?
On
the
whole
,
the
most
judicious
line
seemed
to
be
to
do
each
alternately
.
The
prospect
of
puzzling
the
gossip-mongers
generally
almost
consoled
me
for
the
feeling
of
extreme
annoyance
which
I
had
experienced
.
"
The
imbroglio
must
clear
itself
at
last
,
"
thought
I
,
"
but
it
will
be
a
curious
amusement
to
see
how
long
I
can
keep
it
from
doing
so
;
"
and
I
bought
an
evening
paper
as
I
approached
London
,
by
way
of
distracting
my
mind
.
The
first
news
which
thrilled
me
as
I
opened
it
was
the
announcement
of
the
assassination
of
President
Lincoln
.
I
am
not
going
to
moralise
on
this
event
now
,
and
only
allude
to
it
as
it
affects
the
story
of
my
own
life
.
It
saved
me
that
evening
from
the
embarrassment
I
had
anticipated
;
for
even
when
I
went
to
the
Cosmopolitan
,
I
found
everybody
listening
to
Mr
Wog
,
so
that
nobody
cared
about
my
private
affairs
,
and
it
induced
Lady
Broadhem
to
make
a
secret
expedition
into
the
City
of
a
speculative
nature
next
morning
,
as
I
accidentally
discovered
from
Spiffy
.
It
is
not
impossible
that
the
knowledge
of
this
breach
of
faith
on
her
part
may
prove
a
valuable
piece
of
information
to
me
.
I
sauntered
into
"
the
Piccadilly
"
on
the
following
afternoon
,
armed
at
all
points
,
and
approached
the
bay-window
,
in
which
I
observed
Broadhem
and
several
others
seated
round
the
table
,
with
the
utmost
insouciance
.
They
had
evidently
just
talked
my
matter
over
,
for
my
appearance
caused
a
momentary
pause
,
and
then
a
general
chorus
of
greeting
.
Broadhem
,
with
an
air
of
charming
naïveté
and
brotherly
regard
,
almost
rushed
into
my
arms
;
but
his
presence
restrained
that
general
expression
of
frank
opinion
on
the
part
of
the
rest
of
the
company
,
with
reference
to
my
luck
,
with
which
the
fortunate
fiancé
is
generally
greeted
.
Still
,
the
characters
of
my
different
so-called
"
friends
,
"
and
their
forms
of
congratulation
,
were
amusing
to
watch
.
There
was
the
patronising
,
rather
elderly
style
—
"
My
dear
Vanecourt
,
I
ca
n't
tell
you
how
happy
the
news
has
made
me
.
I
was
just
saying
to
Broadhem
,
"
—
and
so
on
;
then
the
free
and
easy
"
Frank
,
old
fellow
"
and
"
slap
on
the
back
"
style
;
then
the
"
knowing
shot
"
and
"
poke
in
the
ribs
"
style
;
then
the
"
feelings
too
much
for
me
"
style
—
severe
pressure
of
the
hands
,
and
silence
,
accompanied
by
upturned
eyes
;
then
the
"
serious
change
of
state
and
heavy
responsibilities
"
style
.
Oh
,
I
know
them
all
,
and
am
thankful
to
say
the
peculiar
versatility
of
my
talents
enabled
me
to
give
as
many
different
answers
as
there
are
styles
.
I
am
not
such
a
fool
as
not
to
know
exactly
what
all
my
friends
said
of
the
match
behind
my
back
:
"
Sharp
old
woman
,
Lady
Broadhem
;
she
'll
make
that
flat
,
Frank
Vanecourt
,
pay
all
the
Broadhem
debts
;
"
or
,
"
Odd
thing
it
is
that
such
a
nice
girl
as
Ursula
Newlyte
should
throw
herself
away
on
such
a
maniac
as
Frank
Vanecourt
;
"
then
,
"
Oh
,
she
'd
marry
anybody
to
get
away
from
such
a
mother
;
"
again
,
"
I
always
thought
Vanecourt
a
fool
,
but
I
never
supposed
he
would
have
deliberately
submitted
to
be
bled
by
the
Broadhems
.
"
That
is
the
sort
of
thing
that
will
go
on
with
variations
in
every
drawing-room
in
London
for
the
next
few
evenings
.
Now
I
am
striking
out
quite
a
new
line
to
meet
the
humbug
,
the
hypocrisy
,
the
scandal
,
and
the
ill-nature
of
which
both
Ursula
and
myself
are
the
subjects
.
Thus
,
when
Broadhem
greeted
me
in
the
presence
of
the
company
,
after
I
had
received
their
congratulations
with
a
good
deal
of
ambiguous
embarrassment
,
I
appeared
to
be
a
little
overcome
,
and
,
linking
my
arm
in
that
of
my
future
brother-in-law
,
walked
him
out
of
the
room
.
"
My
dear
Broadhem
,
"
said
I
,
"
for
reasons
which
it
is
not
necessary
for
me
now
to
enter
into
,
but
which
are
connected
with
the
pecuniary
arrangements
I
am
making
to
put
your
family
matters
straight
,
this
announcement
is
a
most
unfortunate
occurrence
—
we
must
take
measures
to
contradict
it
immediately
.
"
"
Why
,
"
said
Broadhem
,
"
if
it
is
the
case
,
as
you
know
it
is
,
I
do
n't
see
the
harm
of
announcing
it
.
To
tell
you
the
truth
,
I
think
it
ought
to
have
been
announced
sooner
,
and
that
you
have
been
putting
Ursula
lately
in
rather
a
false
position
,
by
seeming
to
avoid
her
so
much
in
society
,
because
,
you
know
,
it
has
been
talked
of
for
some
time
past
.
"
"
Ah
,
then
,
I
fancy
the
announcement
was
made
on
your
authority
,
"
I
said
.
"
It
is
a
pity
,
as
I
had
made
up
my
mind
to
postpone
the
ceremony
until
I
had
not
only
completed
all
my
arrangements
for
putting
your
family
matters
square
,
but
could
actually
see
my
way
towards
gradually
clearing
off
the
more
pressing
liabilities
with
which
the
estate
is
encumbered
.
You
know
what
a
crotchety
fellow
I
am
.
Now
,
my
plan
is
,
clear
everything
off
first
,
and
marry
afterwards
;
and
unless
you
positively
contradict
the
report
of
my
marriage
with
your
sister
,
I
shall
immediately
countermand
the
instructions
under
which
my
lawyers
are
acting
,
and
take
no
further
steps
whatever
in
the
matter
.
"
I
felt
a
malicious
pleasure
in
watching
Broadhem
's
face
during
this
speech
,
as
I
was
sure
that
he
had
done
his
best
to
spread
the
report
of
my
marriage
with
his
sister
for
fear
of
my
backing
out
,
and
escaping
from
my
obligations
in
respect
to
his
financial
embarrassments
.
It
is
only
fair
to
him
to
state
,
that
these
were
none
of
his
own
creating
—
he
had
been
a
perfect
model
of
steadiness
all
his
life
.
"
It
will
be
pleasanter
for
us
both
,
"
I
went
on
,
"
that
the
world
should
never
be
able
to
say
,
after
my
marriage
with
your
sister
,
that
you
and
your
mother
continue
to
live
upon
us
.
Now
,
I
tell
you
fairly
,
that
,
for
family
reasons
,
this
premature
announcement
renders
it
impossible
for
me
to
proceed
with
those
arrangements
which
must
precede
my
connection
with
your
family
.
"
Broadhem
's
face
grew
very
long
while
he
listened
to
this
speech
.
"
But
,
"
he
said
,
"
it
is
not
fair
to
Ursula
that
everybody
should
suppose
that
you
are
engaged
to
her
,
and
refuse
to
acknowledge
it
.
"
"
Pray
,
whose
fault
is
it
,
"
said
I
,
"
that
anybody
supposes
anything
about
it
?
I
have
never
told
a
soul
that
I
was
engaged
to
be
married
,
and
if
you
and
your
mother
choose
to
go
spreading
unauthorised
reports
,
you
must
take
the
consequences
;
but
"
—
and
a
sudden
inspiration
flashed
upon
me
—
"
I
will
tell
you
what
I
will
do
,
I
will
be
guided
entirely
by
Lady
Ursula
's
wishes
in
the
matter
.
If
she
wishes
the
report
contradicted
,
I
must
insist
most
peremptorily
on
both
Lady
Broadhem
and
yourself
taking
the
necessary
steps
to
stop
the
public
gossip
;
but
if
she
is
willing
that
the
marriage
should
be
announced
,
I
pledge
you
my
word
that
I
will
allow
no
preconceived
plans
to
influence
me
,
or
pecuniary
difficulties
to
stand
in
the
way
,
but
will
do
whatever
she
,
your
mother
,
and
yourself
wish
.
"
"
Very
well
,
"
said
Broadhem
,
"
that
sounds
fair
enough
.
I
'll
go
and
see
Ursula
at
once
.
"
"
Not
quite
so
fast
;
please
take
me
with
you
,
"
I
said
.
"
As
it
is
a
matter
most
closely
affecting
my
future
happiness
,
I
must
be
present
at
the
interview
,
and
so
must
Lady
Broadhem
.
"
"
I
do
n't
think
that
is
an
arrangement
which
will
suit
Ursula
at
all
.
In
fact
,
both
she
and
my
mother
are
so
incomprehensible
and
mysterious
,
that
I
am
sure
they
will
object
to
any
such
meeting
.
Whenever
I
have
spoken
to
my
mother
about
it
,
she
always
meets
me
with
,
'
For
goodness
'
sake
,
do
n't
breathe
a
word
to
Ursula
,
or
you
will
spoil
all
;
'
and
when
,
in
defiance
of
this
injunction
,
I
did
speak
to
Ursula
,
she
said
,
in
a
lackadaisical
way
,
that
she
had
no
intention
of
marrying
any
one
at
present
;
and
when
I
went
on
to
say
that
in
that
case
she
had
no
business
to
accept
you
,
she
asked
me
what
reason
I
had
for
supposing
that
she
ever
had
done
so
;
and
when
I
said
,
'
the
assurance
of
my
mother
's
ears
in
the
drawing-room
at
Dickiefield
,
'
she
stared
at
me
with
amazement
,
and
burst
into
a
flood
of
tears
.
"
"
Under
these
circumstances
,
do
n't
you
think
you
would
have
done
better
not
to
meddle
in
the
matter
at
all
?
"
I
remarked
.
"
However
,
the
mischief
is
done
now
,
and
perhaps
the
best
plan
will
be
for
you
to
bring
about
a
meeting
between
your
sister
and
myself
.
I
suppose
whatever
we
arrange
will
satisfy
you
and
Lady
Broadhem
?
"
"
Well
,
I
do
n't
know
,
"
said
Broadhem
,
doubtfully
;
"
she
does
not
seem
to
know
her
own
mind
,
and
I
do
n't
feel
very
sure
of
you
.
However
,
you
are
master
of
the
situation
,
and
can
arrange
what
you
like
.
My
mother
is
going
to
a
May
meeting
at
Exeter
Hall
to-morrow
to
hear
Caribbee
Islands
and
Chundango
hold
forth
.
I
know
the
latter
is
to
call
for
her
at
eleven
,
so
if
you
will
come
at
half-past
,
I
will
take
care
that
you
have
an
opportunity
of
seeing
Ursula
alone
.
"
This
conversation
took
place
as
we
were
strolling
arm-in-arm
down
St
James
's
Street
on
our
way
to
the
House
,
thereby
enabling
the
groups
of
our
friends
who
inspected
us
from
divers
club-windows
to
assert
confidently
the
truth
of
the
report
.
Just
as
I
was
parting
from
Broadhem
at
the
door
of
the
lobby
we
were
accosted
suddenly
by
Grandon
.
He
looked
very
pale
as
he
grasped
my
hand
and
nodded
to
my
companion
,
who
walked
off
towards
"
another
place
"
without
waiting
for
a
further
greeting
.
"
I
suppose
,
now
that
your
marriage
is
publicly
announced
,
Frank
,
it
need
no
longer
be
a
tabooed
subject
between
us
,
and
that
you
will
receive
my
congratulations
.
"
My
first
impulse
was
to
assure
him
that
the
announcement
was
unauthorised
so
far
as
I
was
concerned
,
but
the
prospect
of
the
impending
interview
with
Ursula
restrained
me
,
and
I
felt
completely
at
a
loss
.
"
Do
n't
you
think
,
Grandon
,
"
I
said
,
"
that
I
should
have
told
you
as
much
as
gossip
tells
the
public
,
had
I
felt
myself
entitled
to
do
so
?
I
only
ask
you
to
trust
me
for
another
twenty-four
hours
,
and
I
will
tell
you
everything
.
"
Grandon
looked
stern
.
"
You
are
bound
not
to
allow
the
report
to
go
one
moment
uncontradicted
if
there
is
nothing
in
it
;
and
if
there
is
,
you
are
now
equally
bound
to
acknowledge
it
.
"
"
Surely
,
"
I
said
,
in
rather
a
piqued
tone
,
"
Broadhem
is
as
much
interested
in
the
matter
as
you
are
,
and
he
is
satisfied
with
my
conduct
.
"
"
I
tell
you
fairly
I
am
not
,
"
said
Grandon
.
"
You
will
do
Lady
Ursula
a
great
injustice
,
and
yourself
a
great
injury
,
if
you
persist
in
a
course
which
is
distinctly
dishonourable
.
"
At
that
moment
who
should
come
swaggering
across
the
lobby
where
we
happened
to
be
standing
but
Larkington
and
Dick
Helter
!
"
Well
,
Frank
,
when
is
it
to
be
?
"
said
the
latter
.
"
You
were
determined
to
take
the
world
by
surprise
,
and
I
must
congratulate
you
on
your
success
.
"
"
Thanks
,
"
said
I
,
calmly
,
for
I
was
smarting
under
Grandon
's
last
words
:
"
the
day
is
not
yet
fixed
.
What
between
Lady
Broadhem
's
scruples
about
Lent
and
some
arrangements
I
had
to
make
in
Ireland
,
there
has
been
a
good
deal
of
delay
,
but
I
think
,
"
I
went
on
,
with
a
slight
simper
,
"
that
it
has
nearly
come
to
an
end
.
"
"
There
,
"
said
I
to
Grandon
,
when
they
had
favoured
me
with
a
few
banalités
,
and
passed
on
,
"
that
is
explicit
enough
,
surely
;
will
that
satisfy
you
,
or
do
you
like
this
style
better
?
"
and
I
turned
to
receive
Bower
and
Scraper
,
who
generally
hunt
tufts
and
scandal
in
couples
,
and
were
advancing
towards
us
with
much
empressement
.
"
My
dear
Lord
Frank
,
charmed
to
see
you
;
no
wonder
you
are
looking
beaming
,
for
you
are
the
luckiest
man
in
London
,
"
said
Bower
.
"
How
so
?
"
said
I
,
looking
unconscious
.
"
Come
,
come
,
"
said
Scraper
,
and
he
winked
at
me
respectfully
;
"
we
have
known
all
about
it
for
the
last
two
months
.
I
got
it
out
of
Lord
Broadhem
very
early
in
the
day
.
"
"
Then
you
got
a
most
deliberate
and
atrocious
fabrication
,
for
I
suppose
you
mean
the
report
of
my
marriage
to
his
sister
,
and
I
beg
you
will
contradict
it
most
emphatically
whenever
you
hear
it
,
"
said
I
,
very
stiffly
.
And
I
walked
on
into
the
House
,
leaving
Grandon
more
petrified
than
the
two
little
toadies
I
had
snubbed
.
I
can
generally
listen
to
Gladstone
when
he
is
engaged
in
keeping
the
House
in
suspense
over
the
results
of
his
arithmetical
calculations
;
but
the
relative
merits
of
a
reduction
of
the
tax
on
tea
and
on
malt
fell
flat
on
my
ears
that
evening
,
and
even
the
consideration
of
twopence
in
the
pound
off
the
income-tax
failed
to
exercise
that
soothing
influence
on
my
mind
which
it
seemed
to
produce
on
those
around
.
I
looked
in
vain
for
Grandon
;
his
accustomed
seat
remained
empty
,
and
I
felt
deeply
penitent
and
miserable
.
What
is
there
in
my
nature
that
prompts
me
