and champagne sufficient to
run away with the first quarter's salary accruing to Harold from the
Petty Bag Office. To us this ball is chiefly memorable from the fact
that Lady Lufton was among the guests. Immediately on her arrival in
town she received cards from Mrs. H. Smith for herself and Griselda,
and was about to send back a reply at once declining the honour.
What had she to do at the house of Mr. Sowerby's sister? But it
so happened that at that moment her son was with her, and as he
expressed a wish that she should go, she yielded. Had there been
nothing in his tone of persuasion more than ordinary,--had it merely
had reference to herself,--she would have smiled on him for his kind
solicitude, have made out some occasion for kissing his forehead as
she thanked him, and would still have declined. But he had reminded
her both of himself and Griselda. "You might as well go, mother, for
the sake of meeting me," he said; "Mrs. Harold caught me the other
day, and would not liberate me till I had given her a promise."

"That is an attraction certainly," said Lady Lufton. "I do like going
to a house when I know that you will be there."

"And now that Miss Grantly is with you--you owe it to her to do the
best you can for her."

"I certainly do, Ludovic; and I have to thank you for reminding me
of my duty so gallantly." And so she said that she would go to Mrs.
Harold Smith's. Poor lady! She gave much more weight to those few
words about Miss Grantly than they deserved. It rejoiced her heart
to think that her son was anxious to meet Griselda--that he should
perpetrate this little ruse in order to gain his wish. But he had
spoken out of the mere emptiness of his mind, without thought of
what he was saying, excepting that he wished to please his mother.
But nevertheless he went to Mrs. Harold Smith's, and when there he
did dance more than once with Griselda Grantly--to the manifest
discomfiture of Lord Dumbello. He came in late, and at the moment
Lord Dumbello was moving slowly up the room, with Griselda on his
arm, while Lady Lufton was sitting near looking on with unhappy eyes.
And then Griselda sat down, and Lord Dumbello stood mute at her
elbow.

"Ludovic," whispered his mother, "Griselda is absolutely bored by
that man, who follows her like a ghost. Do go and rescue her." He did
go and rescue her, and afterwards danced with her for the best part
of an hour consecutively. He knew that the world gave Lord Dumbello