re mending, perhaps?"

Lady Arabella did not in the least understand him. "Mending!" she
said, in her peculiar tone of aristocratic indifference; and then
turned to Mr Gazebee, who was on the other side of her.

Sir Louis was not going to stand this. He was the first man in the
room, and he knew his own importance. It was not to be borne that
Lady Arabella should turn to talk to a dirty attorney, and leave him,
a baronet, to eat his dinner without notice. If nothing else would
move her, he would let her know who was the real owner of the
Greshamsbury title-deeds.

"I think I saw your ladyship out to-day, taking a ride." Lady
Arabella had driven through the village in her pony-chair.

"I never ride," said she, turning her head for one moment from Mr
Gazebee.

"In the one-horse carriage, I mean, my lady. I was delighted with the
way you whipped him up round the corner."

Whipped him up round the corner! Lady Arabella could make no answer
to this; so she went on talking to Mr Gazebee. Sir Louis, repulsed,
but not vanquished--resolved not to be vanquished by any Lady
Arabella--turned his attention to his plate for a minute or two, and
then recommenced.

"The honour of a glass of wine with you, Lady Arabella," said he.

"I never take wine at dinner," said Lady Arabella. The man was
becoming intolerable to her, and she was beginning to fear that it
would be necessary for her to fly the room to get rid of him.

The baronet was again silent for a moment; but he was determined not
to be put down.

"This is a nice-looking country about here," said he.

"Yes; very nice," said Mr Gazebee, endeavouring to relieve the lady
of the mansion.

"I hardly know which I like best; this, or my own place at Boxall
Hill. You have the advantage here in trees, and those sort of things.
But, as to the house, why, my box there is very comfortable, very.
You'd hardly know the place now, Lady Arabella, if you haven't seen
it since my governor bought it. How much do you think he spent about
the house and grounds, pineries included, you know, and those sort of
things?"

Lady Arabella shook her head.

"Now guess, my lady," said he. But it was not to be supposed that
Lady Arabella should guess on such a subject.

"I never guess," said she, with a look of ineffable disgust.

"What do you say, Mr Gazebee?"

"Perhaps a hundred thousand pounds."

"What! for a house! You can't know much about money, nor yet about
building, I think, Mr