rder that our
fashion may be acknowledged. Again, if I decorate my sideboard and
table, wishing that the eyes of my visitors may rest on that which
is elegant and pleasant to the sight, I act in that matter with a
becoming sense of hospitality; but if my object be to kill Mrs.
Jones with envy at the sight of all my silver trinkets, I am a very
mean-spirited fellow. This, in a broad way, will be acknowledged; but
if we would bear in mind the same idea at all times,--on occasions
when the way perhaps may not be so broad, when more thinking may
be required to ascertain what is true hospitality,--I think we
of the eight hundred would make a greater advance towards really
entertaining our own friends than by any rearrangement of the actual
meats and dishes which we set before them.

Knowing as we do, that the terms of the Lufton-Grantly alliance had
been so solemnly ratified between the two mothers, it is perhaps
hardly open to us to suppose that Mrs. Grantly was induced to take
her daughter to Mrs. Proudie's by any knowledge which she may have
acquired that Lord Dumbello had promised to grace the bishop's
assembly. It is certainly the fact that high contracting parties
do sometimes allow themselves a latitude which would be considered
dishonest by contractors of a lower sort; and it may be possible that
the archdeacon's wife did think of that second string with which
her bow was furnished. Be that as it may, Lord Dumbello was at Mrs.
Proudie's, and it did so come to pass that Griselda was seated at
a corner of a sofa close to which was a vacant space in which his
lordship could--"group himself." They had not been long there before
Lord Dumbello did group himself. "Fine day," he said, coming up and
occupying the vacant position by Miss Grantly's elbow.

"We were driving to-day, and we thought it rather cold," said
Griselda.

"Deuced cold," said Lord Dumbello, and then he adjusted his white
cravat and touched up his whiskers. Having got so far, he did not
proceed to any other immediate conversational efforts; nor did
Griselda. But he grouped himself again as became a marquis, and gave
very intense satisfaction to Mrs. Proudie.

"This is so kind of you, Lord Dumbello," said that lady, coming up to
him and shaking his hand warmly; "so very kind of you to come to my
poor little tea-party."

"Uncommonly pleasant, I call it," said his lordship. "I like this
sort of thing--no trouble, you know."

"No; that is the charm of