was his house the one house which
defied criticism. Time had made it utterly suitable. The ivied walls,
and purplish roof lichened yellow in places, the quiet meadows harbouring
ponies and kine, reaching from it to the sea--all was mellow. In truth
it made all the other houses of the town seem shoddy--standing alone
beyond them, like its, master, if anything a little too esthetically
remote from common wants.

He had practically no near neighbours of whom he saw anything, except
once in a way young Harbinger three miles distant at Whitewater. But
since he had the faculty of not being bored with his own society, this
did not worry him. Of local charity, especially to the fishers of the
town, whose winter months were nowadays very bare of profit, he was
prodigal to the verge of extravagance, for his income was not great. But
in politics, beyond acting as the figure-head of certain municipal
efforts, he took little or no part. His Toryism indeed was of the mild
order, that had little belief in the regeneration of the country by any
means but those of kindly feeling between the classes. When asked how
that was to be brought about, he would answer with his dry, slightly
malicious, suavity, that if you stirred hornets' nests with sticks the
hornets would come forth. Having no land, he was shy of expressing
himself on that vexed question; but if resolutely attacked would give
utterance to some such sentiment as this: "The land's best in our hands
on the whole, but we want fewer dogs-in-the-manger among us."

He had, as became one of his race, a feeling for land, tender and
protective, and could not bear to think of its being put out to farm with
that cold Mother, the State. He was ironical over the views of Radicals
or Socialists, but disliked to hear such people personally abused behind
their backs. It must be confessed, however, that if contradicted he
increased considerably the ironical decision of his sentiments.
Withdrawn from all chance in public life of enforcing his views on
others, the natural aristocrat within him was forced to find some
expression.

Each year, towards the end of July, he placed his house at the service of
Lord Valleys, who found it a convenient centre for attending Goodwood.

It was on the morning after the Duchess of Gloucester's Ball, that he
received this note:

"VALLEYS HOUSE.
"DEAREST UNCLE DENNIS,

"May I come down to you a little befor