lis in the shade."

But there was a worse interruption for Lord Llwddythlw than this
which he had now undergone. At about five, when he was making the
peroration of his speech quite secure in his memory, a message came
to him from the Marchioness, saying that she would be much obliged
to him if he would give her five minutes in her own room. Perhaps he
would be kind enough to drink a cup of tea with her. This message was
brought by her ladyship's own maid, and could be regarded only as a
command. But Lord Llwddythlw wanted no tea, cared not at all for Lady
Kingsbury, and was very anxious as to his speech. He almost cursed
the fidgety fretfulness of women as he slipped the manuscript into
his letter-case, and followed the girl along the passages.

"This is so kind of you," she said. He gave himself the usual rub of
vexation as he bowed his head, but said nothing. She saw the state of
his mind, but was determined to persevere. Though he was a man plain
to look at, he was known to be the very pillar and support of his
order. No man in England was so wedded to the Conservative cause,--to
that cause which depends for its success on the maintenance of those
social institutions by which Great Britain has become the first among
the nations. No one believed as did Lord Llwddythlw in keeping the
different classes in their own places,--each place requiring honour,
truth, and industry. The Marchioness understood something of his
character in that respect. Who therefore would be so ready to see
the bitterness of her own injuries, to sympathize with her as to the
unfitness of that son and daughter who had no blood relationship
to herself, to perceive how infinitely better it would be for the
"order" that her own little Lord Frederic should be allowed to
succeed and to assist in keeping the institutions of Great Britain
in their proper position? She had become absolutely dead to the fact
that by any allusion to the probability of such a succession she was
expressing a wish for the untimely death of one for whose welfare she
was bound to be solicitous. She had lost, by constant dwelling on the
subject, her power of seeing how the idea would strike the feelings
of another person. Here was a man peculiarly blessed in the world,
a man at the very top of his "order," one who would be closely
connected with herself, and on whom at some future time she might be
able to lean as on a strong staff. Therefore she determined to trust
her sorrow