e you to laugh at, and leave the rest of him in peace. Good
day."

On went Ferrers, and soon found himself in the Mall of the Park. Here he
was joined by Mr. Templeton.

"Well, Lumley," said the latter (and it may be here remarked that Mr.
Templeton now exhibited towards his nephew a greater respect of manner
and tone than he had thought it necessary to observe before)--"well,
Lumley, and have you seen Lord Saxingham?"

"I have, sir; and I regret to say--"

"I thought so--I thought it," interrupted Templeton: "no gratitude in
public men--no wish, in high place, to honour virtue!"

"Pardon me; Lord Saxingham declares that he should be delighted to
forward your views--that no man more deserves a peerage; but that--"

"Oh, yes; always _buts_!"

"But that there are so many claimants at present whom it is impossible
to satisfy; and--and--but I feel I ought not to go on."

"Proceed, sir, I beg."

"Why, then, Lord Saxingham is (I must be frank) a man who has a great
regard for his own family. Your marriage (a source, my dear uncle, of
the greatest gratification to _me_) cuts off the probable chance of your
fortune and title, if you acquire the latter, descending to--"

"Yourself!" put in Templeton, drily. "Your relation seems, for the first
time, to have discovered how dear your interests are to him."

"For me, individually, sir, my relation does not care a rush--but he
cares a great deal for any member of his house being rich and in high
station. It increases the range and credit of his connections; and Lord
Saxingham is a man whom connections help to keep great. To be plain with
you, he will not stir in this business, because he does not see how his
kinsman is to be benefited, or his house strengthened."

"Public virtue!" exclaimed Templeton.

"Virtue, my dear uncle, is a female: as long as she is private property,
she is excellent; but public virtue, like any other public lady, is a
common prostitute."

"Pshaw!" grunted Templeton, who was too much out of humour to read his
nephew the lecture he might otherwise have done upon the impropriety of
his simile; for Mr. Templeton was one of those men who hold it vicious
to talk of vice as existing in the world; he was very much shocked to
hear anything called by its proper name.

"Has not Mrs. Templeton some connections that may be useful to you?"

"No, sir!" cried the uncle, in a voice of thunder.

"Sorry to hear it--but we cannot expect all things: you have m