e. The latter was saying, as he
soundly rapped his pouncet-box,--

"His demeanour is too provincial, too provincial--ah!"--and he bent
low with grave formality to Mistress Penwick as Cedric presented him;
then turning to the duchess continued,--"I was saying, your Grace,
that Dryden is provincial in his demeanour, when compared to his Grace
of Buckingham."

"Indeed, Julian, thou dost speak lightly of such gigantic genius;
beside, 'twould not be fair to compare sun and moon; and how could we
do without either the one or the other?"

"To which dost thou comparison his Grace?"

"The moon, of course!" said the Duchess.

"And to what planet is my lord a satellite?"

"Nay, I know not; thou dost question of one who knows little of
astronomy; but I think perhaps Mars, as the planet doth resemble earth
more closely than any other."

"Bravo, 'tis a rare simile; and I take it thou didst speak in
derogation;--no matter how true the _inuendo_, it is ever the material
we most appreciate and enjoy, and the sun being nearly ninety-three
million miles from the earth, 'tis too remote to be interesting."

"Indeed, Julian, Dryden in five minutes' converse will stir one to
seriousness by his fancy, to tears by his pathos, and to thoughts of
deity by his sublimity."

"'Tis only a great, good, noble nature like thine that could be so
stirred; believe me, your Grace, thou didst dissemble these emotions
from pure charity."

"Well, well, we must all admit that 'tis not his character that
commands our respect and esteem, but his prose and poesy. We all love
Buckingham, but in our appreciation of him we must not exclude reason
and put him before all others,"--and her Grace turned abruptly to
Mistress Penwick. "Here is an admirer of Dryden's compositions, she
clings pertinaciously and with all the ardour of strong youth to his
satire of 'Absalom and Achitophel,' although 'tis a bitter lampoon on
Monmouth and Shaftesbury; two men she heartily admires." Sir Julian
leant over the Duchess and spoke softly,--

"I was not aware Mistress Penwick had been presented?" And his keen
eyes scanned every lineament of her face and mould. Lord Cedric was
watching askance, and his face grew red with a stroke of passion as
he noted Sir Julian's look of evident admiration, and jealousy for
a moment swept the young lord's heart, and he cursed in thought
the wicked feeling that in connection with his noble friend could
predicate of naught but the foul fi