our master that he is a
rascal," said Mr. Lind to the man. "I shall say the same thing to every
man I meet between this house and the committee-room of his club."

The servant looked grave as Mr. Lind left the room. Soon after, Douglas,
whose self-respect, annihilated by Conolly, had at first been thoroughly
restored by Mr. Lind, felt upset again by the conclusion of the
interview. Finding solitude and idleness intolerable, he went into the
streets, though he no longer felt any desire to meet his acquaintances,
and twice crossed the Haymarket to avoid them. As he strolled about,
thinking of all that had been said to him that afternoon, he grew
morose. Twice he calculated his expenditure on the American trip, and
the difference that an increment of ten thousand pounds would make in
his property. Suddenly, in turning out of Air Street into Piccadilly,
he found himself face to face with Lord Carbury.

"How do you do?" said the latter pleasantly, but without the
unceremonious fellowship that had formerly existed between them.

"Thank you," said Douglas, "I am quite well."

A pause followed, Jasper not knowing exactly what to say next.

"I am considering where I shall dine," said Douglas. "Have you dined
yet?"

"No. I promised to dine at home this evening. My mother likes to have a
family dinner occasionally."

Douglas knew that before the elopement he would have been asked to join
the party. "I suppose people have been pleased to talk a good deal about
me of late," he said.

"Yes, I fear so. However, I hope it will pass over."

"It shews no sign of passing over as yet, then?"

"Well, it has become a little stale as a topic; but there is undeniably
a good deal of feeling about it still. If you will excuse my saying so,
I think that perhaps you would do well to keep out of the way a little
longer."

"Presuming, of course, that popular feeling is a matter about which I am
likely to concern myself."

"That is a question for you to decide. Excuse the hint."

"The question is whether it is not better to be on the spot, so as to
strangle calumny at its source, than to hide myself abroad whilst a host
of malicious tongues are busy with me."

"As to that, Douglas, I assure you you have been very fairly treated.
The chief blame, as usual, has fallen on the weaker sex. Nothing could
exceed the moderation of those from whom the loudest complaints might
have been expected. Reginald Lind has hardly ever mentioned the sub