y duty
beneath his roof. He grounds his demand on no affection of
his own, on no presumption that any affection can remain
with me. He says no word of happiness. He offers no
comfort. He does not attempt to persuade with promises of
future care. He makes his claim simply on Holy Writ, and
on the feeling of duty which thence ought to weigh upon
me. He has never even told me that he loves me; but he is
persistent in declaring that those whom God has joined
together nothing human should separate. Since I have been
here I have written to him once,--one sad, long, weary
letter. Since that I am constrained to leave his letters
unanswered.

And now, my friend, could you not do for me a great
kindness? For a while, till the inquiry be made at
Tankerville, your time must be vacant. Cannot you come and
see us? I have told Papa that I should ask you, and he
would be delighted. I cannot explain to you what it would
be to me to be able to talk again to one who knows all the
errors and all the efforts of my past life as you do.
Dresden is very cold in the winter. I do not know whether
you would mind that. We are very particular about the
rooms, but my father bears the temperature wonderfully
well, though he complains. In March we move down south
for a couple of months. Do come if you can.

Most sincerely yours,

LAURA KENNEDY.

If you come, of course you will have yourself brought
direct to us. If you can learn anything of Mr. Kennedy's
life, and of his real condition, pray do. The faint
rumours which reach me are painfully distressing.

CHAPTER VII

Coming Home from Hunting

Lady Chiltern was probably right when she declared that her husband
must have been made to be a Master of Hounds,--presuming it to be
granted that somebody must be Master of Hounds. Such necessity
certainly does exist in this, the present condition of England.
Hunting prevails; hunting men increase in numbers; foxes are
preserved; farmers do not rebel; owners of coverts, even when they
are not hunting men themselves, acknowledge the fact, and do not dare
to maintain their pheasants at the expense of the much better-loved
four-footed animal. Hounds are bred, and horses are trained specially
to the work. A master of fox hounds is a necessity of the period.
Allowing so much, we cannot but allow also that Lord Chiltern must
have been made to fill the situa