e
name and title. Lady Persiflage had told her sister that as a matter
of course the name would be taken. "A man always takes his father's
name as a matter of course," Lady Persiflage had said. She believed
that the man's absurd notions would be overcome by continual social
pressure. Whether the social pressure would or would not prevail,
the man would certainly marry the girl. There could, therefore, be
no better course than that of trusting to social pressure. Lady
Persiflage was quite clear as to her course. But the Marchioness,
though yielding to her sister in much, still thought that a bargain
should be made. It had been suggested that she should invite "the
young man" down to Trafford. Roden was usually called "the young man"
at present in these family conclaves. She had thought that it would
be better to see him up in London. Lady Frances would come to them in
Park Lane, and then the young man should be invited. The Marchioness
would send her compliments to the "Duca di Crinola." Nothing on
earth should induce her to write the name of Roden,--unless it might
happily come to pass that the engagement should be broken.

Hampstead at this time was still living at Hendon. His sister
remained with him till the Marchioness came up to town about the
middle of April, but no one else except George Roden saw much of him.
Since Roden's return from Italy his visits to Hendon Hall had been
tacitly permitted. The Kingsbury and Persiflage world had taken upon
itself to presume that the young man was the Duca di Crinola, and, so
presuming, had in truth withdrawn all impediments. Lady Frances had
written to her father in answer to the letter which had reached her
from the Marchioness in his name, and had declared that Mr. Roden was
Mr. Roden, and would remain Mr. Roden. She had explained his reasons
at great length, but had probably made them anything but intelligible
to her father. He, however, had simply concealed the letter when
he had half-read it. He would not incur the further trouble of
explaining this to his wife, and had allowed the matter to go on,
although the stipulation made was absolutely repudiated by the
parties who were to have been bound by it.

For Roden and Lady Frances this was no doubt very pleasant. Even Lady
Amaldina Hauteville with her bevy was not more thoroughly engaged
to her aristocratic lover than was Lady Frances to this precarious
Italian nobleman. But the brother in these days was by no means as