etched and weak, and in some matters afraid
of his wife, there had been no moment of his life in which he would
have given way to her on such a subject as this. "She promised it
me,--for a purpose."

"A purpose!"

"For a purpose, my lord."

"What purpose?" Mr. Greenwood went on staring and shaking his head
and rubbing his hands, till the Marquis, awestruck and almost
frightened, put out his hand towards the bell. But he thought of it
again. He remembered himself that he had nothing to fear. If the man
had anything to say about the Marchioness it might perhaps be better
said without the presence of servants. "If you mean to say anything,
say it. If not,--go. If you do neither one nor the other very
quickly, I shall have you turned out of the house."

"Turned out of the house?"

"Certainly. If you have any threat to make, you had better make it in
writing. You can write to my lawyers, or to me, or to Lord Hampstead,
or to Mr. Roberts."

"It isn't a threat. It is only a statement. She promised it me,--for
a purpose."

"I don't know what you mean by a purpose, Mr. Greenwood. I don't
believe Lady Kingsbury made any such promise; but if she did it
wasn't hers to promise. I don't believe it; but had she promised I
should not be bound by it."

"Not if you have not given it away?"

"I have given it away, Mr. Greenwood."

"Then I must suggest--"

"Suggest what!"

"Compensation, my lord. It will only be fair. You ask her ladyship.
Her ladyship cannot intend that I should be turned out of your
lordship's house with only two hundred a year, after what has passed
between me and her ladyship."

"What passed?" said the Marquis, absolutely rousing himself so as to
stand erect before the other man.

"I had rather, my lord, you should hear it from her ladyship."

"What passed?"

"There was all that about Lady Frances."

"What about Lady Frances?"

"Of course I was employed to do all that I could to prevent the
marriage. You employed me yourself, my lord. It was you sent me down
to see the young man, and explain to him how impertinent he was. It
isn't my fault, Lord Kingsbury, if things have got themselves changed
since then."

"You think you ought to make a demand upon me because as my Chaplain
you were asked to see a gentleman who called here on a delicate
matter?"

"It isn't that I am thinking about. If it had been only that I should
have said nothing. You asked me what it was about, and I was obliged
to r