bserved, there were places to be given away,
Secretaryships, Inspectorships, Surveyorships, and suchlike, into
one of which the Duke, if he would consent to be a Duke, might be
installed before long. The primary measure of putting him into a room
by himself had already been carried out. Then a step was taken, of
which George Roden had ground to complain. There was a certain Club
in London called the Foreigners, made up half of Englishmen and half
of men of other nations, which was supposed to stand very high in the
world of fashion. Nearly every member was possessed of either grand
titles before his name, or of grand letters after it. Something
was said by Vivian to George Roden as to this club. But no actual
suggestion was made, and certainly no assent was given. Nevertheless
the name of the Duca di Crinola was put down in the Candidate Book,
as proposed by Baron d'Ossi and seconded by Lord Persiflage. There it
was, so that all the world would declare that the young "Duca" was
the "Duca." Otherwise the name would not have been inserted there
by the Italian Minister and British Secretary of State. Whereas
George Roden himself knew nothing about it. In this way attempts
were made to carry out that line of action which Lady Persiflage had
recommended.

Letters, too, were delivered to Roden, addressed to the Duca di
Crinola, both at Holloway and at the Post Office. No doubt he refused
them when they came. No doubt they generally consisted of tradesmen's
circulars, and were probably occasioned by manoeuvres of which Lady
Persiflage herself was guilty. But they had the effect of spreading
abroad the fact that George Roden was George Roden no longer, but
was the Duca di Crinola. "There's letters coming for the Duker every
day," said the landlady of the Duchess to Mrs. Duffer of Paradise
Row. "I see them myself. I shan't stand on any p's and q's. I shall
call him Duker to his face." Paradise Row determined generally to
call him Duker to his face, and did so frequently, to his great
annoyance.

Even his mother began to think that his refusal would be in vain. "I
don't see how you're to stand out against it, George. Of course if
it wasn't so you'd have to stand out against it; but as it is the
fact--"

"It is no more a fact with me than with you," he said angrily.

"Nobody dreams of giving me a title. If all the world agrees, you
will have to yield."

Sir Boreas was as urgent. He had always been very friendly with the
yo