s withdrawn his subscription and left the establishment, and why he
alone is faithful and willing to contribute, even to the extent of five
pounds additional--"

"This is too heartless by half; the man has treated me shamefully."

"I protest I think so too," said Nelly, with a mock seriousness; "he
relies upon your brother's gown for his protection."

"Shall I have him out? But, by the way, why do you call me Mr.
Bramleigh? Wasn't I Augustus--or rather Gusty--when we met last?"

"I don't think so; so well as I remember, I treated you with great
respect dashed with a little bit of awe. You and your elder sister were
always 'personages' to me."

"I cannot understand that. I can easily imagine Temple inspiring that
deference you speak of."

"You were the true prince, however, and I had all Falstaff's reverence
for the true prince."

"And yet you see after all I am like to turn out only a pretender."

"By the way, the pretender is here; I mean--if it be not a bull to say
it--the real pretender, Count Pracontal."

"Count Pracontal de Bramleigh, George," said Julia, correcting him. "It
is the drollest mode of assuming a family name I ever heard of."

"What is he like?" asked Ellen.

"Like a very well-bred Frenchman of the worst school of French manners:
he has none of that graceful ease and that placid courtesy of the
past period, but he has abundance of the volatile readiness and showy
smartness of the present day. They are a wonderful race, however, and
their smattering is better than other men's learning."

"I want to see him," said Augustus.

"Well," broke in L'Estrange, "Lady Augusta writes to me to say he wants
to see _you_."

"What does Lady Augusta know of him?"

"Heaven knows," cried Julia; "but they are always together; their rides
over the Campagna furnish just now the chief scandal of Rome. George,
you may see, looks very serious and rebukeful about it; but, if the
truth were told, there's a little jealousy at the root of his morality."

"I declare, Julia, this is too bad."

"Too true, also, my dear George. Will you deny that you used to ride
out with her nearly every evening in the summer, rides that began at
sunset and ended--I was always asleep when you came home, and so I never
knew when they ended."

"Was she very agreeable?" asked Nelly, with the faintest tinge of
sharpness in her manner.

"The most--what shall I call it?--inconsequent woman I ever met,
mixing up things the most dissi