are turned out."

"But, inasmuch as we were turned out, we were beaten. And what has
a gathering of people at my private house to do with a political
manoeuvre? Do you especially want to go to Gatherum?"

"I hate the place. You know I do."

"Then why should you propose to go there?" He hardly yet knew his
wife well enough to understand that the suggestion had been a joke.
"If you don't wish to go abroad--"

"I hate going abroad."

"Then we'll remain at Matching. You don't hate Matching."

"Ah dear! There are memories there too. But you like it."

"My books are there."

"Blue-books," said the Duchess.

"And there is plenty of room if you wish to have friends."

"I suppose we must have somebody. You can't live without your
Mentor."

"You can ask whom you please," he said almost fretfully.

"Lady Rosina, of course," suggested the Duchess. Then he turned to
the papers before him and wouldn't say another word. The matter ended
in a party much as usual being collected at Matching about the middle
of October,--Telemachus having spent the early part of the autumn
with Mentor at Long Royston. There might perhaps be a dozen guests
in the house, and among them of course were Phineas Finn and his
wife. And Mr. Grey was there, having come back from his eastern
mission,--whose unfortunate abandonment of his seat at Silverbridge
had caused so many troubles,--and Mrs. Grey, who in days now long
passed had been almost as necessary to Lady Glencora as was now her
later friend Mrs. Finn,--and the Cantrips, and for a short time the
St. Bungays. But Lady Rosina De Courcy on this occasion was not
present. There were few there whom my patient readers have not seen
at Matching before; but among those few was Arthur Fletcher.

"So it is to be," said the Duchess to the member for Silverbridge one
morning. She had by this time become intimate with "her member," as
she would sometimes call him in joke, and had concerned herself much
as to his matrimonial prospects.

"Yes, Duchess; it is to be,--unless some unforeseen circumstance
should arise."

"What circumstance?"

"Ladies and gentlemen sometimes do change their minds;--but in this
case I do not think it likely."

"And why ain't you being married now, Mr. Fletcher?"

"We have agreed to postpone it till next year;--so that we may be
quite sure of our own minds."

"I know you are laughing at me; but nevertheless I am very glad that
it is settled. Pray tell her from me th