ok like, but are downright poppies! Is not this house
intolerably stupid?"

"I 'm ashamed to own I think it pleasant," said she, smiling.

"You were more fastidious once, if my memory serves me aright," said he,
meaningly.

"Perhaps so," said she, carelessly. "I begin to fancy that odd people
are more amusing than clever ones; and certainly they entertain without
an effort, and that is an immense gain."

"Do you think so? I should have supposed the very effort would have
claimed some merit, showing that the desire to please had prompted it."

"My Lord will see Mr. Linton at present," said the servant.

Linton nodded, and the man withdrew.

"How long ago is it since you made this sketch?" said he, opening the
book, as if accidentally, at the page with the pine-tree.

She turned, and although her bent-down head concealed her features,
Linton saw the crimson flush spread over the neck as she answered,
"About three years ago."

"Scarcely so much," said he. "If I mistake not, I wrote the date myself
beneath it; but it has worn out."

"You will excuse my reminding you, Mr. Linton, that Lord Kilgoff has not
regained his habitual patience, and will be very irritable if you defer
a pleasure such as a visit from you always affords him."

"Happy conjuncture," said he, smiling, "that can make my presence
desired in one quarter, when my absence is wished for in another." And
with a low, respectful bow, he left the room.

Whatever the object of the hint, Lady Kilgoff had not exaggerated his
Lordship's deficiency in the Job-like element, and Linton found him, on
entering, interrogating the servant as to whether he "had conveyed his
message properly, and what answer he had received."

"That will do; leave the room," said he. Then turning to Linton, "I have
waited twelve minutes, sir,--nearly thirteen,--since my servant informed
you I would receive you."

"I am exceedingly sorry, my Lord, to have occasioned you even a moment
of impatience. I was mentioning to Lady Kilgoff a circumstance of
recent good fortune to myself, and I grieve that my egotism should have
mastered my sense of propriety."

"Twelve minutes, or thirteen, either, may seem a very unimportant
fraction of time to men of mere pleasure, but to those whose weightier
cares impose graver thoughts, is a very considerable inroad, sir."

"I know it, my Lord. I feel it deeply, and I beg you to excuse me."

"Life is too short, at least in its active period, to s