ll come from ebullitions of feeling, have
told the widow that the peculiar circumstances of her position would
not only justify her in marrying this other man but absolutely called
upon her to do it. Unfortunately she had failed in her attempt to
bring the interview to a condition in which this would have been
possible, and while she was still making the attempt that odious
aunt had come in. "I have been on my mission," she said to Mrs. Finn
afterwards.

"Have you done any good?"

"I don't think I've done any harm. Women, you know, are so very
different! There are some who would delight to have an opportunity
of opening their hearts to a Duchess, and who might almost be talked
into anything in an ecstasy."

"Hardly women of the best sort, Lady Glen."

"Not of the best sort. But then one doesn't come across the very
best, very often. But that kind of thing does have an effect; and as
I only wanted to do good, I wish she had been one of the sort for the
occasion."

"Was she--offended?"

"Oh dear, no. You don't suppose I attacked her with a husband at the
first word. Indeed, I didn't attack her at all. She didn't give me an
opportunity. Such a Niobe you never saw."

"Was she weeping?"

"Not actual tears. But her gown, and her cap, and her strings were
weeping. Her voice wept, and her hair, and her nose, and her mouth.
Don't you know that look of subdued mourning? And yet they say that
that man is dying for love. How beautiful it is to see that there is
such a thing as constancy left in the world."

When she got home she found that her husband had just returned from
the old Duke's house, where he had met Mr. Monk, Mr. Gresham, and
Lord Cantrip. "It's all settled at last," he said cheerfully.

CHAPTER LXXVIII

The New Ministry

When the ex-Prime Minister was left by himself after the departure of
his old friend his first feeling had been one of regret that he had
been weak enough to doubt at all. He had long since made up his mind
that after all that had passed he could not return to office as a
subordinate. That feeling as to the impropriety of Caesar descending
to serve under others which he had been foolish enough to express,
had been strong with him from the very commencement of his Ministry.
When first asked to take the place which he had filled the reason
strong against it had been the conviction that it would probably
exclude him from political work during the latter half of his life.
The man