here without making you understand that, as a man engaged to be
married, you cannot drop your title. Did you intend to remain single,
I cannot say how far your peculiar notions might enable you to
prevail; but as you mean to marry, she, too, will have rights. I
put it to you whether it would be honest on your part to ask her to
abandon the rank which she will be entitled to expect from you. Just
you think of it, Mr. Roden. And now I won't trouble you any more upon
the subject."

Not a word more was said on the subject at Castle Hautboy, and on the
next day he returned to the Post Office.

CHAPTER VIII.

"I CANNOT COMPEL HER."

About the middle of April Lord and Lady Kingsbury came up to London.
From day to day and week to week he had declared that he would never
again be able to move out of his room; and had gone on making up his
mind to die immediately, till people around him began to think that
he was not going to die at all. He was, however, at last persuaded
that he might at any rate as well die in London as at Trafford,
and, therefore, allowed himself to be carried up to Park Lane. The
condition of his own health was, of course, given to him for the
reason of this movement. At this peculiar period of the year, it
would be better for him, they said, to be near his London doctor. No
doubt the Marquis believed that it was so. When a man is ill nothing
is so important to him as his own illness. But it may be a question
whether the anxiety felt by the Marchioness as to other affairs of
the family generally had not an effect with her in inducing her to
persuade her husband. The Marquis had given a modified assent to his
daughter's marriage; and she, in a manner still more modified, had
withdrawn her opposition. Permission had been given to Fanny to marry
the Duca di Crinola. This had been given without any reference to
money, but had certainly implied a promise of a certain amount of
income from the bride's father. How else would it be possible that
they should live? The letter had been written to Lady Frances by her
stepmother at the dictation of the Marquis. But the words absolutely
dictated had not perhaps been religiously followed. The father
had intended to be soft and affectionate, merely expressing his
gratification that his girl's lover should turn out to be the Duca
di Crinola. Out of this the Marchioness had made a stipulation. The
lover should be received as a lover, on condition that he bore th