else's. If I can get
him to agree, will you? Of course there will be ever so many papers
to be signed; and the biggest of all robbers, the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, will put his fingers into the pudding and pull out a plum,
and the lawyers will take more plums. But that will be nothing to
us. The pudding will be very nice for them let ever so many plums be
taken. The lawyers and people will do it all, and then it will be her
fortune,--just as though her uncle had left it to her. As it is now,
the money will never be of any use to anybody." Madame Goesler said
that if the Duke consented she also would consent. It was immaterial
to her who had the money. If by signing any receipt she could
facilitate the return of the money to any one of the Duke's family,
she would willingly sign it. But Miss Palliser must be made to
understand that the money did not come to her as a present from
Madame Goesler.

"But it will be a present from Madame Goesler," said the Duke.

"Plantagenet, if you go and upset everything by saying that, I shall
think it most ill-natured. Bother about true! Somebody must have the
money. There's nothing illegal about it." And the Duchess had her own
way. Lawyers were consulted, and documents were prepared, and the
whole thing was arranged. Only Adelaide Palliser knew nothing about
it, nor did Gerard Maule; and the quarrels of lovers had not yet
become the renewal of love. Then the Duchess wrote the two following
notes:--

MY DEAR ADELAIDE,

We shall hope to see you at Matching on the 15th of
August. The Duke, as head of the family, expects implicit
obedience. You'll meet fifteen young gentlemen from the
Treasury and the Board of Trade, but they won't incommode
you, as they are kept at work all day. We hope Mr. Finn
will be with us, and there isn't a lady in England who
wouldn't give her eyes to meet him. We shall stay ever so
many weeks at Matching, so that you can do as you please
as to the time of leaving us.

Yours affectionately,

G. O.

Tell Lord Chiltern that I have my hopes of making
Trumpeton Wood too hot for Mr. Fothergill,--but I have
to act with the greatest caution. In the meantime I am
sending down dozens of young foxes, all labelled Trumpeton
Wood, so that he shall know them.

The other was a card rather than a note. The Duke and Duchess of
Omnium presented their compliments to Mr. Gerard Maule, and requested
the honour of