etting up
in the world) understood perfectly. They nodded wise heads.

"I was always inclined to think that Robert would take that view."

"He fears that the Bearsdale case won't carry him all the way. Depend
upon it, that's what he feels."

"Well, there was the doubt there, you see."

Mina was rather tired of the doubt in the Bearsdale case. It was always
cropping up and being mentioned as though it were something exceedingly
meritorious.

"And in poor Addie's case of course there--well, there wasn't,"
proceeded Lady Evenswood with a sigh. "So Robert feels that it might be
thought----"

"The people with consciences would be at him, I suppose," said Southend
scornfully.

"But if the marriage came off----"

"Oh, I see!" cried the Imp.

"Then he would feel able to act. It would look merely like putting
things back as they were, you see, Mina."

"Do you think he means the viscounty?" asked Southend.

"It would be so much more convenient. And they could have had an earldom
once before if they'd liked."

"Oh, twice," corrected Southend confidently.

"I know it's said, but I don't believe it. You mean in 1816?"

"Yes. Everybody knows that they could have had it from Mr Pitt."

"Well, George, I don't believe about 1816. At least my father heard Lord
Liverpool say----"

"Oh, dear me!" murmured the Imp. This historical inquiry was neither
comprehensible nor interesting. But they discussed it eagerly for some
minutes before agreeing that, wherever the truth lay, a viscounty could
not be considered out of the way for the Tristrams--legitimate and
proper Tristrams, be it understood.

"And that's where the match would be of decisive value," Lady Evenswood
concluded.

"Disney said as much evidently. So you understood, Madame Zabriska?"

"I suppose so. I've told you what he said."

"He could take Blentmouth, you know. It's all very simple."

"Well, I'm not sure that our friend Iver isn't keeping that for
himself," smiled Southend.

"Oh, he can be Lord Bricks and Putty," she suggested, laughing. But
there seemed in her words a deplorable hint of scorn for that process by
which the vitality (not to say the solvency) of the British aristocracy
is notoriously maintained. "Blentmouth would do very well for Harry
Tristram."

"Well then, what's to be done?" asked Southend.

"We must give him a hint, George."

"Have we enough to go upon? Suppose Disney turned round and----"

"Robert won't do that. Besides, w