nother person's will."

She looked at him curiously.

"I know. That revolts you always--any form of command? Evelyn tells me
that you carry it to curious lengths with your servants and laborers."

He drew back, evidently disconcerted.

"Oh, I try some experiments. They generally break down."

"You try to do without servants, Evelyn says, as much as possible."

"Well, if I do try, I don't succeed," he said, laughing. "But"--his eyes
kindled--"isn't it worth while, during a bit of one's life, to escape,
if one can, from some of the paraphernalia in which we are all
smothered? Look there! What right have I to turn my fellow-creatures
into bedizened automata like that?"

And he threw out an accusing hand towards the two powdered footmen, who
were removing the coffee-cups and making up the fire in the next room,
while the magnificent groom of the chambers stood like a statue,
receiving some orders from the Duchess.

Julie, however, showed no sympathy.

"They are only automata in the drawing-room. Down-stairs they are as
much alive as you or I."

"Well, let us put it that I prefer other kinds of luxury," said
Delafield. "However, as I appear to have none of the qualities necessary
to carry out my notions, they don't get very far."

"You would like to shake hands with the butler?" said Julie, musing. "I
knew a case of that kind. But the butler gave warning."

Delafield laughed.

"Perhaps the simpler thing would be to do without the butler."

"I am curious," she said, smiling--"very curious. Sir Wilfrid, for
instance, talks of going down to stay with you?"

"Why not? He'd come off extremely well. There's an ex-butler, and an
ex-cook of Chudleigh's settled in the village. When I have a visitor,
they come in and take possession. We live like fighting-cocks."

"So nobody knows that, in general, you live like a workman?"

Delafield looked impatient.

"Somebody seems to have been cramming Evelyn with ridiculous tales, and
she's been spreading them. I must have it out with her."

"I expect there is a good deal in them," said Julie. Then, unexpectedly,
she raised her eyes and gave him a long and rather strange look. "Why
do you dislike having servants and being waited upon so much, I wonder?
Is it--you won't be angry?--that you have such a strong will, and you do
these things to tame it?"

Delafield made a sudden movement, and Julie had no sooner spoken the
words than she regretted them.

"So you think I shou