an to Mr Jermyn, who
stared and bowed.

"And you do not feel alarmed at having a person of such violent
opinions as your inspector at the head of your establishment," said Lady
Firebrace to Mr Trafford, who smiled a negative.

"What is the name of the intelligent individual who accompanied us?"
enquired Lord de Mowbray.

"His name is Gerard," said Mr Trafford.

"I believe a common name in these parts," said Lord de Mowbray looking a
little confused.

"Not very," said Mr Trafford; "'tis an old name and the stock has
spread; but all Gerards claim a common lineage I believe, and my
inspector has gentle blood, they say, in his veins."

"He looks as if he had," said Lady Maud.

"All persons with good names affect good blood," said Lord de Mowbray;
and then turning to Mrs Trafford he overwhelmed her with elaborate
courtesies of phrase; praised everything again; first generally and then
in detail; the factory, which he seemed to prefer to his castle--the
house, which he seemed to prefer even to the factory--the gardens, from
which he anticipated even greater gratification than from the house. And
this led to an expression of a hope that he would visit them. And so in
due time the luncheon was achieved. Mrs Trafford looked at her guests,
there was a rustling and a stir, and everybody was to go and see the
gardens that Lord de Mowbray had so much praised.

"I am all for looking after the beautiful Nun," said Mr Mountchesney to
Lord Milford.

"I think I shall ask the respectable manufacturer to introduce me to
her," replied his lordship.

In the meantime Egremont had joined Gerard at the factory.

"You should have come sooner," said Gerard, "and then you might have
gone round with the fine folks. We have had a grand party here from the
castle."

"So I perceived," said Egremont, "and withdrew."

"Ah! they were not in your way, eh?" he said in a mocking smile. "Well,
they were very condescending--at least for such great people. An earl!
Earl de Mowbray,--I suppose he came over with William the Conqueror. Mr
Trafford makes a show of the place, and it amuses their visitors I dare
say, like anything else that's strange. There were some young gentlemen
with them, who did not seem to know much about anything. I thought I had
a right to be amused too; and I must say I liked very much to see one of
them looking at the machinery through his eye-glass. There was one very
venturesome chap: I thought he was going to catch hol