shion, of which she was profoundly ignorant, her own
property was separated from his and reserved to herself and her
children. Since her marriage she had never said a word to him about
her money,--unless it were to ask that something out of the common
course might be spent on some, generally absurd, object. But now had
come the time for squandering money. She was not only rich but she
had a popularity that was exclusively her own. The new Prime Minister
and the new Prime Minister's wife should entertain after a fashion
that had never yet been known even among the nobility of England.
Both in town and country those great mansions should be kept open
which were now rarely much used because she had found them dull,
cold, and comfortless. In London there should not be a Member
of Parliament whom she would not herself know and influence by
her flattery and grace,--or if there were men whom she could not
influence, they should live as men tabooed and unfortunate. Money
mattered nothing. Their income was enormous, and for a series of
years,--for half-a-dozen years if the game could be kept up so
long,--they could spend treble what they called their income without
real injury to their children. Visions passed through her brain of
wondrous things which might be done,--if only her husband would be
true to his own greatness.

The Duke had left her about two. She did not stir out of the house
that day, but in the course of the afternoon she wrote a line to a
friend who lived not very far from her. The Duchess dwelt in Carlton
Terrace, and her friend in Park Lane. The note was as follows:--

DEAR M.,

Come to me at once. I am too excited to go to you.

Yours,

G.

This was addressed to one Mrs. Finn, a lady as to whom chronicles
also have been written, and who has been known to the readers of such
chronicles as a friend dearly loved by the Duchess. As quickly as she
could put on her carriage garments and get herself taken to Carlton
Terrace, Mrs. Finn was there. "Well, my dear, how do you think it's
all settled at last?" said the Duchess. It will probably be felt that
the new Prime Minister's wife was indiscreet, and hardly worthy of
the confidence placed in her by her husband. But surely we all have
some one friend to whom we tell everything, and with the Duchess Mrs.
Finn was that one friend.

"Is the Duke to be Prime Minister?"

"How on earth should you have guessed that?"

"What else could make you s