ect for ancestry secures a higher
standard of honour; the better man in wealth, because of the immense
uses to enterprise, energy, and the fine arts, which rich men must be if
they follow their natural inclinations; the better man in character, the
better man in ability, for reasons too obvious to define; and these two
last will beat the others in the government of the State, if the State
be flourishing and free. All these four classes of better men constitute
true aristocracy; and when a better government than a true aristocracy
shall be devised by the wit of man, we shall not be far off from
the Millennium and the reign of saints. But here we are at the
house,--yours, is it not? I like the look of it extremely."

The elderly man now entered the little porch, over which clambered
honeysuckle and ivy intertwined, and ushered Kenelm into a pleasant
parlour, with a bay window, and an equally pleasant bedroom behind it.

"Will it do, sir?"

"Perfectly. I take it from this moment. My knapsack contains all I shall
need for the night. There is a portmanteau of mine at Mr. Somers's shop,
which can be sent here in the morning."

"But we have not settled about the terms," said the elderly man,
beginning to feel rather doubtful whether he ought thus to have
installed in his home a stalwart pedestrian of whom he knew nothing,
and who, though talking glibly enough on other things, had preserved an
ominous silence on the subject of payment.

"Terms? true, name them."

"Including board?"

"Certainly. Chameleons live on air; democrats on wind bags. I have a
more vulgar appetite, and require mutton."

"Meat is very dear now-a-days," said the elderly man, "and I am afraid,
for board and lodging I cannot charge you less than L3 3s.,--say L3 a
week. My lodgers usually pay a week in advance."

"Agreed," said Kenelm, extracting three sovereigns from his purse. "I
have dined already: I want nothing more this evening; let me detain you
no further. Be kind enough to shut the door after you."

When he was alone, Kenelm seated himself in the recess of the bay
window, against the casement, and looked forth intently. Yes; he was
right: he could see from thence the home of Lily. Not, indeed, more than
a white gleam of the house through the interstices of trees and shrubs,
but the gentle lawn sloping to the brook, with the great willow at the
end dipping its boughs into the water, and shutting out all view beyond
itself by its bower of t