will
be told," replied the Duchess. Now, at this moment, he had, as she
knew, come direct from the house of Mr. Gresham, and she asked her
question in her usual spirit. "And what are they going to make you
now?"

But he did not answer the question in his usual manner. He would
customarily smile gently at her badinage, and perhaps say a word
intended to show that he was not in the least moved by her raillery.
But in this instance he was very grave, and stood before her a moment
making no answer at all, looking at her in a sad and almost solemn
manner. "They have told you that they can do without you," she said,
breaking out almost into a passion. "I knew how it would be. Men are
always valued by others as they value themselves."

"I wish it were so," he replied. "I should sleep easier to-night."

"What is it, Plantagenet?" she exclaimed, jumping up from her chair.

"I never cared for your ridicule hitherto, Cora; but now I feel that
I want your sympathy."

"If you are going to do anything,--to do really anything, you shall
have it. Oh, how you shall have it!"

"I have received her Majesty's orders to go down to Windsor at once.
I must start within half-an-hour."

"You are going to be Prime Minister!" she exclaimed. As she spoke
she threw her arms up, and then rushed into his embrace. Never since
their first union had she been so demonstrative either of love or
admiration. "Oh, Plantagenet," she said, "if I can only do anything
I will slave for you." As he put his arm round her waist he already
felt the pleasantness of her altered way to him. She had never
worshipped him yet, and therefore her worship when it did come had
all the delight to him which it ordinarily has to the newly married
hero.

"Stop a moment, Cora. I do not know how it may be yet. But this I
know, that if without cowardice I could avoid this task, I would
certainly avoid it."

"Oh no! And there would be cowardice; of course there would," said
the Duchess, not much caring what might be the bonds which bound him
to the task so long as he should certainly feel himself to be bound.

"He has told me that he thinks it my duty to make the attempt."

"Who is he?"

"Mr. Gresham. I do not know that I should have felt myself bound by
him, but the Duke said so also." This duke was our duke's old friend,
the Duke of St. Bungay.

"Was he there? And who else?"

"No one else. It is no case for exultation, Cora, for the chances are
that I shall fail