show that he did not shrink from reasonable responsibility
towards his female impedimenta, any inquiry as to the absence of Lady
Borrodaile was met by reference to Sophia. In short, where other
attractive husbands brought a boring wife, Lord Borrodaile brought an
undecorative daughter. While to the onlooker nearly every aspect of this
particular young woman would seem destined to offend a beauty-loving,
critical taste like that of Borrodaile, he was probably served, as other
mortals are, by that philosophy of the senses which brings in time a
deafness and a blindness to the unloveliness that we needs must live
beside. Lord Borrodaile was far too intelligent not to see, too, that
when people had got over Lady Sophia's uncompromising exterior, they
found things in her to admire as well as to stand a little in awe of.
Unlike one another as the Borrodailes were, in one respect they
presented to the world an undivided front. From their point of view,
just as laws existed to keep other people in order, so was 'fashion' an
affair for the middle classes. The Borrodailes might dress as dowdily as
they pleased, might speak as uncompromisingly as they felt inclined.
Were they not Borrodailes of Borrodaile? Though open expression of this
spirit grows less common, they would not have denied that it is still
the prevailing temper of the older aristocracy. And so it has hitherto
been true that among its women you find that sort of freedom which is
the prerogative of those called the highest and of those called the
lowest. It is the women of all the grades between these two extremes who
have dared not to be themselves, who ape the manners, echo the
catchwords, and garb themselves in the elaborate ugliness, devised for
the blind meek millions.

As the Lady Sophia, now a little in advance of her companions, came
stalking towards the steps, out from a little path that wound among the
thick-growing laurels issued Paul Filey. He raised his eyes, and
hurriedly thrust a small book into his pocket. The young lady paused,
but only apparently to pat, or rather to administer an approving cuff
to, the Bedlington terrier lying near the lower step.

'Well,' she said over her shoulder to Filey, 'our side gave a good
account of itself that last round.'

'I was sure it would as soon as my malign influence was removed.'

'Yes; from the moment I took on Dick Farnborough, the situation assumed
a new aspect. You'll _never_ play a good game, you know, if