ish in the sea as ever were caught out of it?"

"When you've got a good fish you like to make as much of it as you
can."

"I suppose Mr. Monk will join you."

"I think we shall ask him. But I am not prepared to discuss men's
names as yet."

"You must discuss them with the Duke immediately."

"Probably;--but I had better discuss them with him before I fix my
own mind by naming them even to you."

"You'll bring Mr. Finn in, Plantagenet?"

"Mr. Finn!"

"Yes;--Phineas Finn,--the man who was tried."

"My dear Cora, we haven't come down to that yet. We need not at any
rate trouble ourselves about the small fishes till we are sure that
we can get big fishes to join us."

"I don't know why he should be a small fish. No man has done better
than he has; and if you want a man to stick to you--"

"I don't want a man to stick to me. I want a man to stick to his
country."

"You were talking about sympathy."

"Well, yes;--I was. But do not name any one else just at present. The
Duke will be here soon, and I would be alone till he comes."

"There is one thing I want to say, Plantagenet."

"What is it?"

"One favour I want to ask."

"Pray do not ask anything for any man just at present."

"It is not anything for any man."

"Nor for any woman."

"It is for a woman,--but one whom I think you would wish to oblige."

"Who is it?" Then she curtseyed, smiling at him drolly, and put her
hand upon her breast. "Something for you! What on earth can you want
that I can do for you?"

"Will you do it,--if it be reasonable?"

"If I think it reasonable, I certainly will do it."

Then her manner changed altogether, and she became serious and almost
solemn. "If, as I suppose, all the great places about her Majesty be
changed, I should like to be Mistress of the Robes."

"You!" said he, almost startled out of his usual quiet demeanour.

"Why not I? Is not my rank high enough?"

"You burden yourself with the intricacies and subserviences, with the
tedium and pomposities of Court life! Cora, you do not know what you
are talking about, or what you are proposing for yourself."

"If I am willing to try to undertake a duty, why should I be debarred
from it any more than you?"

"Because I have put myself into a groove, and ground myself into a
mould, and clipped and pared and pinched myself all round,--very
ineffectually, as I fear,--to fit myself for this thing. You have
lived as free as air. You have disdained,--and thou