-a
fine old Elizabethan house--a house of historical interest. I must have
woods and lakes--and a deer-park, above all. Deer are very gentlemanlike
things, very. De Clifford's place is to be sold, I know; they ask too
much for it, but ready money is tempting. I can bargain--bargain, I am
a good hand at a bargain. Should I be now Lord Baron Vargrave, if I had
always given people what they asked? I will double my subscriptions
to the Bible Society and the Philanthropic, and the building of new
churches. The world shall not say Richard Templeton does not deserve his
greatness. I will--Come in. Who's there?--come in."

The door gently opened--the meek face of the new peeress appeared. "I
disturb you--I beg your pardon--I--"

"Come in, my dear, come in--I want to talk to you--I want to talk to
your ladyship--sit down, pray."

Lady Vargrave obeyed.

"You see," said the peer, crossing his legs, and caressing his left foot
with both hands, while he see-sawed his stately person to and fro in
his chair--"you see that the honour conferred upon me will make a great
change in our mode of life, Mrs. Temple--I mean Lady Vargrave. This
villa is all very well--my country house is not amiss for a country
gentleman--but now we must support our rank. The landed estate I already
possess will go with the title--go to Lumley--I shall buy another at
my own disposal, one that I can feel _thoroughly mine_--it shall be a
splendid place, Lady Vargrave."

"This place is splendid to me," said Lady Vargrave, timidly.

"This place--nonsense--you must learn loftier ideas, Lady Vargrave; you
are young, you can easily contract new habits, more, easily, perhaps,
than myself. You are naturally ladylike, though I say it--you have good
taste, you don't talk much, you don't show your ignorance--quite right.
You must be presented at court, Lady Vargrave--we must give great
dinners, Lady Vargrave. Balls are sinful, so is the opera, at least I
fear so--yet an opera-box would be a proper appendage to your rank, Lady
Vargrave."

"My dear Mr. Templeton--"

"Lord Vargrave, if your ladyship pleases."

"I beg pardon. May you live long to enjoy your honours; but I, my dear
lord--I am not fit to share them: it is only in our quiet life that
I can forget what--what I was. You terrify me when you talk of
court--of--"

"Stuff, Lady Vargrave! stuff; we accustom ourselves to these things. Do
I look like a man who has stood behind a counter? rank is a glove that