verbridge
out of the room."

"Dear me! If I must,--of course I must. But why?"

"He is saying everything horrid he can about Americans."

After this they settled down for a few minutes to general
conversation, and then Lord Silverbridge again took his leave. When
he was gone Isabel Boncassen almost regretted that the "something
particular" which he had threatened to say had not been less comic in
its nature.

CHAPTER XXXIV

Lord Popplecourt

When the reader was told that Lord Popplecourt had found Lady Cantrip
very agreeable it is to be hoped that the reader was disgusted.
Lord Popplecourt would certainly not have given a second thought to
Lady Cantrip unless he had been specially flattered. And why should
such a man have been flattered by a woman who was in all respects
his superior? The reader will understand. It had been settled by
the wisdom of the elders that it would be a good thing that Lord
Popplecourt should marry Lady Mary Palliser.

The mutual assent which leads to marriage should no doubt be
spontaneous. Who does not feel that? Young love should speak from its
first doubtful unconscious spark,--a spark which any breath of air
may quench or cherish,--till it becomes a flame which nothing can
satisfy but the union of the two lovers. No one should be told to
love, or bidden to marry, this man or that woman. The theory of this
is plain to us all, and till we have sons or daughters whom we feel
imperatively obliged to control, the theory is unassailable. But the
duty is so imperative! The Duke had taught himself to believe that
as his wife would have been thrown away on the world had she been
allowed to marry Burgo Fitzgerald, so would his daughter be thrown
away were she allowed to marry Mr. Tregear. Therefore the theory
of spontaneous love must in this case be set aside. Therefore the
spark,--would that it had been no more!--must be quenched. Therefore
there could be no union of two lovers;--but simply a prudent and
perhaps splendid marriage.

Lord Popplecourt was a man in possession of a large estate which was
unencumbered. His rank in the peerage was not high; but his barony
was of an old date,--and, if things went well with him, something
higher in rank might be open to him. He had good looks of that sort
which recommend themselves to pastors and masters, to elders and
betters. He had regular features. He looked as though he were
steady. He was not impatient nor rollicking. Silverbridge w