of school. He is not
doing his share of the work of the Commonwealth."

"Pitt was not married, sir."

"No;--and a great many other good men have remained unmarried. Do you
mean to be another Pitt?"

"I don't intend to be a Prime Minister."

"I would not recommend you to entertain that ambition. Pitt perhaps
hardly had time for marriage. You may be more lucky."

"I suppose I shall marry some day."

"I should be glad to see you marry early," said the Duke, speaking
in a low voice, almost solemnly, but in his quietest, sweetest tone
of voice. "You are peculiarly situated. Though as yet you are only
the heir to the property and honours of our family, still, were you
married, almost everything would be at your disposal. There is so
much which I should only be too ready to give up to you!"

"I can't bear to hear you talking of giving up anything," said
Silverbridge energetically.

Then the father looked round the room furtively, and seeing that
the door was shut, and that they were assuredly alone, he put out
his hand and gently stroked the young man's hair. It was almost
a caress,--as though he would have said to himself, "Were he my
daughter, I would kiss him." "There is much I would fain give up," he
said. "If you were a married man the house in Carlton Terrace would
be fitter for you than for me. I have disqualified myself for taking
that part in society which should be filled by the head of our
family. You who have inherited so much from your mother would, if you
married pleasantly, do all that right well." He paused for a moment
and then asked a straightforward question, very quickly--"You have
never thought of any one yet, I suppose?"

Silverbridge had thought very much of somebody. He was quite aware
that he had almost made an offer to Lady Mabel. She certainly had not
given him any encouragement; but the very fact that she had not done
so allured him the more. He did believe that he was thoroughly in
love with Lady Mabel. She had told him that he was too young,--but he
was older than Lady Mab herself by a week. She was beautiful;--that
was certain. It was acknowledged by all that she was clever. As
for blood, of which he believed his father thought much, there was
perhaps none better in England. He had heard it said of her,--as
he now well remembered, in his father's presence,--that she had
behaved remarkably well in trying circumstances. She had no
fortune;--everybody knew that; but then he did not want