which he inherits. I could not
call myself Mrs. Jones any more than Mrs. Jones can call herself
Lady Persiflage. If he is the Duca di Crinola he must be the Duca di
Crinola."

"But he won't be Duca di Crinola," said Lady Frances.

"There now!" said the Marchioness.

"If you will only let the matter be settled by those who understand
it, and not talk about it just at present, it would be so much
better."

"You heard what Lord Llwddythlw called him," said the Marchioness.

"Llwddythlw always was an oaf," said Amaldina.

"He meant to be gracious," said Fanny; "and I am much obliged to
him."

"And as to what you were saying, Fanny, as to having nothing to
support the title, a foreign title in that way is not like one here
at home. Here it must be supported."

"He would never consent to be burdened with a great name without any
means," said Fanny.

"There are cases in which a great name will help a man to get means.
Whatever he calls himself, I suppose he will have to live, and
maintain a wife."

"He has his salary as a clerk in the Post Office," said Fanny very
boldly. Amaldina shook her head sadly. The Marchioness clasped
her hands together and raised her eyes to the ceiling with a look
of supplication. Were not her darlings to be preserved from such
contamination?

"He can do better than that, my dear," exclaimed Lady Persiflage;
"and, if you are to be his wife, I am sure that you will not stand in
the way of his promotion. His own Government and ours between them
will be able to do something for him as Duca di Crinola, whereas
nothing could be done for George Roden."

"The English Government is his Government," said Fanny indignantly.

"One would almost suppose that you want to destroy all his
prospects," said Lady Persiflage, who was at last hardly able to
restrain her anger.

"I believe she does," said the Marchioness.

In the mean time the conversation was carried on below stairs, if
with less vigour, yet perhaps with more judgment. Lord Persiflage
spoke of Roden's Italian uncle as a man possessing intellectual gifts
and political importance of the highest order. Roden could not deny
that the Italian Cabinet Minister was his uncle, and was thus driven
to acknowledge the family, and almost to acknowledge the country.
"From what I hear," said Lord Persiflage, "I suppose you would not
wish to reside permanently in Italy, as an Italian?"

"Certainly not," said Roden.

"There is no reason why you s