"I would prefer that he should never see them!"

"I don't see that at all," said the angry lord.

But she altogether misunderstood him. "When I think of what he
is, and to what he will reduce the whole family should he live,
I cannot bear to see him touch them. Think of the blood of the
Traffords, of the blood of the Mountressors, of the blood of the
Hautevilles;--think of your own blood, which is now to be connected
with theirs, and that all this is to be defiled because this man
chooses to bring about a disreputable, disgusting marriage with the
expressed purpose of degrading us all."

"I beg your pardon, Lady Kingsbury; I shall be in no way degraded."

"Think of us; think of my children."

"Nor will they. It may be a misfortune, but will be no degradation.
Honour can only be impaired by that which is dishonourable. I wish
that Lady Frances had given her heart elsewhere, but I feel sure that
the name of her family is safe in her hands. As for Hampstead, he is
a young man for whose convictions I have no sympathy,--but I am sure
that he is a gentleman."

"I would that he were dead," said Lady Kingsbury in her wrath.

"Lady Kingsbury!"

"I would that he were dead!"

"I can only say," said Lord Llwddythlw, rising from his chair, "that
you have made your confidence most unfortunately. Lord Hampstead is
a young nobleman whom I should be proud to call my friend. A man's
politics are his own. His honour, his integrity, and even his conduct
belong in a measure to his family. I do not think that his father,
or his brothers, or, if I may say so, his stepmother, will ever have
occasion to blush for anything that he may do." With this he bowed
to the Marchioness, and stalked out of the room with a grand manner,
which those who saw him shuffling his feet in the House of Commons
would hardly have thought belonged to him.

The dinner on that day was very quiet, and Lady Kingsbury retired to
bed earlier even than usual. The conversation at the dinner was dull,
and turned mostly on Church subjects. Mr. Greenwood endeavoured to be
sprightly, and the parson, and the parson's wife, and the parson's
daughter were uncomfortable. Lord Llwddythlw was almost dumb. Lady
Amaldina, having settled the one matter of interest to her, was
simply contented. On the next morning her lover took his departure
by an earlier train than he had intended. It was, he said, necessary
that he should look into some matters at Denbigh before he made