l and his followers
was mild and gentle and forbearing, compared with the sway of these
fellows. In the one case we had a fair stand-up fight,--opinion met
opinion, and the struggle was an open one; but here we have an organized
association to investigate the state of our resources, to pry into our
private affairs, learning what pressure bears upon us here, what weak
spot gives way there. They hold our creditors in leash, to slip them on
us at any moment; and the threat of a confiscation--for it is just that,
and nothing less--is unceasingly hanging over us!"

He stopped short in his torrent of passion, for the white sail of a
small fishing-craft that just showed in the offing suddenly diverted his
thoughts to that vision of prosperity he so lately revelled in,--that
pleasant dream of a thriving watering-place, bright, sunny, and
prosperous, the shore dotted with gayly caparisoned donkeys, and the sea
speckled with pleasure-boats. All the elements of that gay Elysium came
up before him,--the full tide of fortune setting strongly in, and
coming to his feet. Galbraith, who revelled in millions, whose rapid
calculations rarely descended to ignoble thousands, had constantly
impressed upon him that if Dunn only took it up, the project was already
accomplished. "He'll start you a company, my Lord, in a week; a splendid
prospectus and an admirable set of names on the direction, with a
paid-up capital, to begin with, of--say L30,000. He knows to a nicety
how many Stock Exchange fellows, how many M.P.'s, how many county
gentlemen to have. He 'll stick all the plums in the right place too;
and he'll have the shares quoted at a premium before the scrip is well
out in the market. Clever fellow, my Lord,--vastly clever fellow, Dunn!"
And so the Earl thought, too, till the letter now before him dashed that
impression with disappointment.

"I 'll tell you what it is, Gusty," said he, after a pause,--"we must
ask him down here. It is only by an actual inspection of the bay that he
can form any just conception of the place. You must write to him for me.
This gouty knuckle of mine makes penwork impossible. You can say--Just
find a sheet of paper, and I 'll tell you what to say." Now, the noble
Earl was not as ready at dictation as he had fancied; for when Lady
Augusta had opened her writing-desk, arranged her writing-materials, and
sat, pen in hand, awaiting his suggestions, he was still pacing up and
down the room, muttering to himself