hink their fortunes
made if you would only take a turn with them, I cannot imagine."

"But I don't want to make any one's fortune," said the Duke; "and
certainly not in that way."

"What could you be saying to her?"

"She was talking about her family. I rather like Lady Rosina. She
is living all alone, it seems, and almost in poverty. Perhaps there
is nothing so sad in the world as the female scions of a noble but
impoverished stock."

"Nothing so dull, certainly."

"People are not dull to me, if they are real. I pity that poor lady.
She is proud of her blood and yet not ashamed of her poverty."

"Whatever might come of her blood, she has been all her life willing
enough to get rid of her poverty. It isn't above three years since
she was trying her best to marry that brewer at Silverbridge. I wish
you could give your time a little to some of the other people."

"To go and shoot arrows?"

"No;--I don't want you to shoot arrows. You might act the part of
host without shooting. Can't you walk about with anybody except Lady
Rosina De Courcy?"

"I was walking about with Sir Orlando Drought last Sunday, and I very
much prefer Lady Rosina."

"There has been no quarrel?" asked the Duchess sharply.

"Oh dear, no."

"Of course he's an empty-headed idiot. Everybody has always known
that. And he's put above his place in the House. But it wouldn't do
to quarrel with him now."

"I don't think I am a quarrelsome man, Cora. I don't remember at this
moment that I have ever quarrelled with anybody to your knowledge.
But I may perhaps be permitted to--"

"Snub a man, you mean. Well, I wouldn't even snub Sir Orlando very
much, if I were you; though I can understand that it might be both
pleasant and easy."

"I wish you wouldn't put slang phrases into my mouth, Cora. If I
think that a man intrudes upon me, I am of course bound to let him
know my opinion."

"Sir Orlando has--intruded!"

"By no means. He is in a position which justifies his saying many
things to me which another might not say. But then, again, he is a
man whose opinion does not go far with me, and I have not the knack
of seeming to agree with a man while I let his words pass idly by
me."

"That is quite true, Plantagenet."

"And, therefore, I was uncomfortable with Sir Orlando, while I was
able to sympathise with Lady Rosina."

"What do you think of Ferdinand Lopez?" asked the Duchess, with
studied abruptness.

"Think of Mr. Lopez! I haven't tho