ents of
his Gladstone bag used to provide merriment in the servants' hall, and
legend said that a young footman had once dared to be insolent to him.
Had any one ventured the same conduct now he would have been sent to
Coventry by every servant in the house.

It was to this austere, incalculable, yet always attractive listener,
that Victoria told the story of Harry and Lydia, of the Faversham
adventure, and the Melrose inheritance. If she wanted advice, a little
moral guidance for herself--and indeed she did want it--she did not get
any; but of comment there was plenty.

"That's the girl I saw here last time," mused Boden, nursing his
knee--"lovely creature--with some mind in her face. So she's refused
Harry--and Duddon?"

"Which no doubt will commend her to you!" said Victoria, not without a
certain bristling of her feathers.

"It does," said Boden quietly. "Upon my word, it was a fine thing to do."

"Just because we happen to be rich?" Victoria's eyelids fluttered a
little.

"No! but because it throws a little light on what we choose to call the
soul. It brings one back to a faint belief in the existence of the thing.
Here is one of the great fortunes, and one of the splendid houses of the
world, and a little painting girl who makes a few pounds by her drawings
says 'No, thank you!' when they are laid at her feet--because--of a
little trifle called love which she can't bring to the bargain. I confess
that bucks one up. 'The day-star doth his beams restore.'"

He took up the tongs, and began absently to rebuild the fire. Victoria
waited on his remarks with heightened colour.

"Of course I'm sorry for Harry," he said, after a moment, with his queer
smile. "I saw there was something wrong when I arrived. But it's
salutary--very salutary! Hasn't he had everything in the world he wanted
from his cradle? And isn't it as certain as anything can be that he'll
find some other charming girl, who'll faint with joy, when he asks her,
and give you all the grandchildren you want? And meanwhile we have this
bit of the heroic--this defiance of a miry world, cropping up--to help us
out of our mud-holes. I'm awfully sorry for Harry--but I take off my hat
to the girl."

Victoria's expression became sarcastic.

"Who will ultimately marry," she said, "according to _my_ interpretation
of the business, a first-class adventurer--possessed of a million of
money--stolen from its proper owners."

"I don't believe it. I've seen her