n I got
it."

"Who'll pay for the bonnets, Frank?" said George.

"Oh, I'll pay for them if Moffat won't. I think I shall keep an
account there; they seem to have good gloves and those sort of
things."

"Very good, I have no doubt," said George.

"I suppose your lordship will be in town soon after the meeting of
Parliament?" said the bishop, questioning the earl.

"Oh! yes; I suppose I must be there. I am never allowed to remain
very long in quiet. It is a great nuisance; but it is too late to
think of that now."

"Men in high places, my lord, never were, and never will be, allowed
to consider themselves. They burn their torches not in their own
behalf," said the bishop, thinking, perhaps, as much of himself as he
did of his noble friend. "Rest and quiet are the comforts of those
who have been content to remain in obscurity."

"Perhaps so," said the earl, finishing his glass of claret with
an air of virtuous resignation. "Perhaps so." His own martyrdom,
however, had not been severe, for the rest and quiet of home had
never been peculiarly satisfactory to his tastes. Soon after this
they all went to the ladies.

It was some little time before Frank could find an opportunity of
recommencing his allotted task with Miss Dunstable. She got into
conversation with the bishop and some other people, and, except that
he took her teacup and nearly managed to squeeze one of her fingers
as he did so, he made very little further progress till towards the
close of the evening.

At last he found her so nearly alone as to admit of his speaking to
her in his low confidential voice.

"Have you managed that matter with my aunt?"

"What matter?" said Miss Dunstable; and her voice was not low, nor
particularly confidential.

"About those three or four gentlemen whom you wish to invite here?"

"Oh! my attendant knights! no, indeed; you gave me such very slight
hope of success; besides, you said something about my not wanting
them."

"Yes I did; I really think they'd be quite unnecessary. If you should
want any one to defend you--"

"At these coming elections, for instance."

"Then, or at any other time, there are plenty here who will be ready
to stand up for you."

"Plenty! I don't want plenty: one good lance in the olden days was
always worth more than a score of ordinary men-at-arms."

"But you talked about three or four."

"Yes; but then you see, Mr Gresham, I have never yet found the one
good lance--at least, no