e.
Persiflage will do whatever he can, but that can only be if you will
open your arms to him." Lady Kingsbury did feel that she was called
upon to undergo a terrible revulsion of sentiment. Opening her arms
to the Duca di Crinola might be possible to her. But how was she to
open her arms to Lady Frances Trafford? The man whom she had seen but
once might appear before her with his new title as a young nobleman
of whose antecedents she was not bound to remember anything. She
might seem to regard him as a new arrival, a noble suitor for her
stepdaughter's hand, of whom she had not before heard. But how was
she to receive Fanny Trafford, the girl whom she had locked up at
Koenigsgraaf, whose letters she had stopped as they came from the Post
Office? Nevertheless she consented,--as far at least as her sister
was concerned. "I shall never like Fanny," she had said, "because she
is so sly." Girls are always called sly by their friends who want to
abuse them. "But of course I will have them both here, as you think
it will be best. What they are to live upon Heaven only knows. But of
course that will be no concern of mine."

As a first result of this Lady Persiflage asked George Roden down to
Castle Hautboy for the Easter holidays. There was a difficulty about
this. How was he to be addressed? Hampstead was consulted, and he,
though he was not much in heart just then for the arrangement of such
a matter, advised that for the present his friend's old name should
be used. Lady Persiflage therefore wrote to--George Roden, Esq., at
the General Post Office. In this letter it was signified that Lord
Persiflage was very anxious to make the acquaintance of--Mr. Roden.
Lady Persiflage was also very anxious. Lady Persiflage explained that
she was aware of,--Well! Lady Frances Trafford was to be at Castle
Hautboy, and that she thought might act as an inducement to--Mr.
Roden. The letter was very cleverly managed.

Though it never once mentioned the grand title it made allusions
which implied that the real rank of the Post Office clerk was well
known to every one at Castle Hautboy. And though nothing of course
was said as to any possible relations between Lord Persiflage as
a member of the British Cabinet and the clerk's uncle as a member
of the Italian Cabinet, nevertheless as to this also there were
allusions which were intelligible. This letter was altogether very
gracious,--such a one as few young men would be able to resist coming