st, hoped Maltravers. He remembered the
profound saying in one of his favourite German authors, "that to keep
the mind and body in perfect health, it is necessary to mix habitually
and betimes in the common affairs of men." And the anonymous
correspondent;--had her exhortations any influence on his decision? I
know not. But when Cleveland left him, Maltravers unlocked his desk, and
re-perused the last letter he had received from the Unknown. The _last_
letter!--yes, those epistles had now become frequent.

CHAPTER VI.

* * * * "Le brillant de votre esprit donne un si grand
eclat a votre teint et a vos yeux, que quoiqu'il semble
que l'esprit ne doit toucher que les oreilles, il est
pourtaut certain que la votre eblouit les yeux."*
_Lettres de Madame de Sevigne_.

* The brilliancy of your wit gives so great a lustre to your complexion
and your eyes, that, though it seems that wit should only reach the
ears, it is altogether certain that yours dazzles the eyes.

AT Lord Latimer's house were assembled some hundreds of those persons
who are rarely found together in London society; for business, politics,
and literature draught off the most eminent men, and usually leave
to houses that receive the world little better than indolent rank or
ostentatious wealth. Even the young men of pleasure turn up their noses
at parties now-a-days, and find society a bore. But there are some dozen
or two of houses, the owners of which are both apart from and above the
fashion, in which a foreigner may see, collected under the same roof,
many of the most remarkable men of busy, thoughtful, majestic England.
Lord Latimer himself had been a cabinet minister. He retired from public
life on pretence of ill-health; but, in reality, because its anxious
bustle was not congenial to a gentle and accomplished, but somewhat
feeble, mind. With a high reputation and an excellent cook he enjoyed a
great popularity, both with his own party and the world in general; and
he was the centre of a small, but distinguished circle of acquaintances,
who drank Latimer's wine, and quoted Latimer's sayings, and liked
Latimer much better, because, not being author or minister, he was not
in their way.

Lord Latimer received Maltravers with marked courtesy, and even
deference, and invited him to join his own whist-table, which was one
of the highest compliments his lordship could pay to his intellect. But
when his guest refused the proffered honou