y of State himself told the story to the ladies of his
household, or that it reached them through private secretaries, it
was certainly the case that Lady Persiflage was enabled to write a
very interesting letter to her sister, and that Lady Amaldina took
the occasion of congratulating her cousin and of informing her lover.

Lady Kingsbury, when she received the news, was still engaged in
pointing out to her husband the iniquity of his elder children in
having admitted the visit of Mr. Roden to Hendon Hall. This, she
persisted in saying, had been done in direct opposition to most
solemn promises made by all the parties concerned. The Marquis at
the time had recovered somewhat of his strength, in consequence, as
was said among the household, of the removal of Mr. Greenwood into
Shrewsbury. And the Marchioness took advantage of this improved
condition on the part of her husband to make him sensible of the
abominable iniquity of which the young persons had been guilty.
The visit had occurred two months since, but the iniquity to Lady
Kingsbury's thinking still demanded express condemnation and, if
possible, punishment. "A direct and premeditated falsehood on the
part of them all!" said Lady Kingsbury, standing over her husband,
who was recumbent on the sofa in his own room.

"No; it wasn't," said the Marquis, who found it easier to deny the
whole charge than to attempt in his weakness to divide the guilt.

"My dear! When she was allowed to go to Hendon Hall, was it not done
on a sacred pledge that she should not see that horrid man? Did not
Hampstead repeat the promise to my own ears?"

"How could he help his coming? I wish you wouldn't trouble me about
it any more."

"Then I suppose that she is to have your leave to marry the man
whenever she chooses!"

Then he roused himself with whatever strength he possessed, and
begged her to leave him. With much indignation she stalked out of the
room, and going to her apartments found the following letter, which
had just arrived from her sister;--

MY DEAR CLARA,--

As you are down in the country, I suppose the news about
Fanny's "young man" has not yet reached you.

Fanny's young man! Had Fanny been the housemaid, it was thus that
they might have spoken of her lover. Could it be that "Fanny and her
young man" had already got themselves married? Lady Kingsbury, when
she read this, almost let the letter drop from her hand, so much was
she disgusted by the man