Grace,--but
which would be unbecoming. I cannot, however, think that
your Grace will be willing that a poor man like myself,
in his search for an entrance into public life, should be
mulcted to so heavy an extent in consequence of an error
on the part of the Duchess. Should your Grace be able
to assist me in my view of getting into Parliament for
any other seat I shall be willing to abide the loss I
have incurred. I hardly, however, dare to hope for such
assistance. In this case I think your Grace ought to see
that I am reimbursed.

I have the honour to be,
My Lord Duke,
Your Grace's very faithful Servant,

FERDINAND LOPEZ.

The Duke stood over her in her own room upstairs, with his back to
the fireplace and his eyes fixed upon her while she was reading this
letter. He gave her ample time, and she did not read it very quickly.
Much of it indeed she perused twice, turning very red in the face as
she did so. She was thus studious partly because the letter astounded
even her, and partly because she wanted time to consider how she
would meet his wrath. "Well," said he, "what do you say to that?"

"The man is a blackguard,--of course."

"He is so;--though I do not know that I wish to hear him called such
a name by your lips. Let him be what he may he was your friend."

"He was my acquaintance."

"He was the man whom you selected to be your candidate for the
borough in opposition to my wishes, and whom you continued to support
in direct disobedience to my orders."

"Surely, Plantagenet, we have had all that about disobedience out
before."

"You cannot have such things 'out,'--as you call it. Evil-doing will
not bury itself out of the way and be done with. Do you feel no shame
at having your name mentioned a score of times with reprobation as
that man mentions it;--at being written about by such a man as that?"

"Do you want to make me roll in the gutter because I mistook him for
a gentleman?"

"That was not all,--nor half. In your eagerness to serve such a
miserable creature as this you forgot my entreaties, my commands,
my position! I explained to you why I, of all men, and you, of all
women, as a part of me, should not do this thing; and yet you did it,
mistaking such a cur as that for a man! What am I to do? How am I to
free myself from the impediments which you make for me? My enemies I
can overcome,--but I cannot escape the pitfalls which are made for
me by my