ng compared to the family of his friend, young Rothsay. _They_
count back, as I have heard, to the ancient kings of Scotland. Between
ourselves, the ancient kings haven't left the Rothsays much money. They
would be glad, I'll be bound, to get my rich master for one of their
daughters. Poor as Job, I tell you. This young fellow, traveling with
us, has never had a spare five-pound note since he was born. Plenty of
brains in his head, I grant you; and a little too apt sometimes to be
suspicious of other people. But liberal--oh, give him his due--liberal
in a small way. Tips me with a sovereign now and then. I take it--Lord
bless you, I take it. What do you say? Has he got any employment? Not
he! Dabbles in chemistry (experiments, and that sort of thing) by way
of amusing himself; and tells the most infernal lies about it. The other
day he showed me a bottle about as big as a thimble, with what looked
like water in it, and said it was enough to poison everybody in the
hotel. What rot! Isn't that the clock striking again? Near about
bedtime, I should say. Wish you good night."

There are our characters--drawn on the principle of justice without
mercy, by an impudent rascal who is the best valet in England. Now you
know what sort of persons we are; and now we may go on again.

Rothsay and I parted, soon after our night at the theater. He went to
Civita Vecchia to join a friend's yacht, waiting for him in the harbor.
I turned homeward, traveling at a leisurely rate through the Tyrol and
Germany.

After my arrival in England, certain events in my life occurred
which did not appear to have any connection at the time. They led,
nevertheless, to consequences which seriously altered the relations of
happy past years between Rothsay and myself.

The first event took place on my return to my house in London. I found
among the letters waiting for me an invitation from Lord Lepel to spend
a few weeks with him at his country seat in Sussex.

I had made so many excuses, in past years, when I received invitations
from my uncle, that I was really ashamed to plead engagements in London
again. There was no unfriendly feeling between us. My only motive for
keeping away from him took its rise in dislike of the ordinary modes
of life in an English country-house. A man who feels no interest in
politics, who cares nothing for field sports, who is impatient of
amateur music and incapable of small talk, is a man out of his element
in country