."

"Maule staying at the Duke's!" When Mr. Spooner heard this there
came a sudden change over his face. His jaw fell, and his mouth was
opened, and the redness of his cheeks flew up to his forehead.

"He was expected there yesterday, and I need hardly suggest to you
what will be the end of the quarrel."

"Going to the Duke's won't give him an income."

"I know nothing about that, Mr. Spooner. But it really seems to me
that you misinterpret the nature of the affections of such a girl as
Miss Palliser. Do you think it likely that she should cease to love a
man because he is not so rich as another?"

"People, when they are married, want a house to live in, Lady
Chiltern. Now at Spoon Hall--"

"Believe me, that is in vain, Mr. Spooner."

"You are quite sure of it?"

"Quite sure."

"I'd have done anything for her,--anything! She might have had what
settlements she pleased. I told Ned that he must go, if she made a
point of it. I'd have gone abroad, or lived just anywhere. I'd come
to that, that I didn't mind the hunting a bit."

"I'm sorry for you,--I am indeed."

"It cuts a fellow all to pieces so! And yet what is it all about? A
slip of a girl that isn't anything so very much out of the way after
all. Lady Chiltern, I shouldn't care if the horse kicked the trap all
to pieces going back to Spoon Hall, and me with it."

"You'll get over it, Mr. Spooner."

"Get over it! I suppose I shall; but I shall never be as I was. I've
been always thinking of the day when there must be a lady at Spoon
Hall, and putting it off, you know. There'll never be a lady there
now;--never. You don't think there's any chance at all?"

"I'm sure there is none."

"I'd give half I've got in all the world," said the wretched man,
"just to get it out of my head. I know what it will come to." Though
he paused, Lady Chiltern could ask no question respecting Mr.
Spooner's future prospects. "It'll be two bottles of champagne at
dinner, and two bottles of claret afterwards, every day. I only hope
she'll know that she did it. Good-bye, Lady Chiltern. I thought that
perhaps you'd have helped me."

"I cannot help you."

"Good-bye." So he went down to his trap, and drove himself violently
home,--without, however, achieving the ruin which he desired. Let
us hope that as time cures his wound that threat as to increased
consumption of wine may fall to the ground unfulfilled.

In the meantime Gerard Maule had arrived at Matching Priory.

"