fferently organised."

"Yes;--but the worst of it is, that when they suffer from this
weakness, which you call sensitiveness, they think that they are made
of finer material than other people. Men shouldn't be made of Sevres
china, but of good stone earthenware. However, I don't want to abuse
him, poor fellow."

"I don't think you ought."

"I know what that means. You do want to abuse me. So they've been
bullying him about the money he paid to that man Lopez. How did
anybody know anything about it?"

"Lopez must have told of it," said Mrs. Finn.

"The worst, my dear, of trying to know a great many people is, that
you are sure to get hold of some that are very bad. Now that man is
very bad. Yet they say he has married a nice wife."

"That's often the case, Duchess."

"And the contrary;--isn't it, my dear? But I shall have it out with
Plantagenet. If I have to write letters to all the newspapers myself,
I'll put it right." She certainly coddled her husband less than the
others; and, indeed, in her heart of hearts disapproved altogether
of the coddling system. But she was wont at this particular time to
be somewhat tender to him because she was aware that she herself
had been imprudent. Since he had discovered her interference at
Silverbridge, and had made her understand its pernicious results,
she had been,--not, perhaps, shamefaced, for that word describes
a condition to which hardly any series of misfortunes could have
reduced the Duchess of Omnium,--but inclined to quiescence by
feelings of penitence. She was less disposed than heretofore to
attack him with what the world of yesterday calls "chaff," or with
what the world of to-day calls "cheek." She would not admit to
herself that she was cowed;--but the greatness of the game and the
high interest attached to her husband's position did in some degree
dismay her. Nevertheless she executed her purpose of "having it out
with Plantagenet." "I have just heard," she said, having knocked at
the door of his own room, and having found him alone,--"I have just
heard, for the first time, that there is a row about the money you
paid to Mr. Lopez."

"Who told you?"

"Nobody told me,--in the usual sense of the word. I presumed that
something was the matter, and then I got it out from Marie. Why had
you not told me?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"But why not? If anything troubled me I should tell you. That is, if
it troubled me much."

"You take it for granted that t