art relented to her
son. She steeled herself with the recollection that what she had done
was for his benefit.

"I have good news for you, Lance," she said, with her stately grace;
"very excellent news."

"I am glad to hear it, mother," replied Lord Chandos, thinking to
himself how much more this interview resembled that of a queen and a
crown prince than of mother and son.

"You have traveled quickly and would probably like some refreshment--you
would like a glass of Madeira?"

The truth was that her ladyship herself, with all her courage, felt that
she required some artificial stimulant--the courage and pride of the
proudest woman in England ebbed; she feared what she had to say.

"An honor has been bestowed on you," she said, "one which would make any
peer in England proud."

His face brightened--he was keenly susceptible to the flattery implied
in his mother's words.

"You have been asked, together with Lord Dunferline, to represent our
gracious sovereign at the marriage of the Princess Caroline at
Hempsburg. Such an invitation, I need not tell you, is equivalent to a
royal command."

"I know it, mother, and I am delighted," he said, wondering in his own
mind if he should be able to take Leone with him.

"The notice is rather short," continued the countess; "but that is owing
to some delay on the part of Lord Dunferline. I hear that you are the
envy of every man at the club. You will have to leave England for
Germany in three days; to-morrow you must be at the palace. I
congratulate you, Lance; it is very seldom that a man so young as you
receives so signal a favor."

He knew it, and was proud accordingly; yet he said to himself that Leone
must go with him; he could not live without Leone.

Lady Lanswell continued:

"Your father is delighted over it; I cannot tell you how pleased he is."

Then Lord Chandos looked wonderingly around.

"Where is my father?" he said. "I have not seen him yet."

Lady Lanswell knew that he would not see him. The earl had fled
ignominiously; he had declined to be present at the grand fracas between
his wife and his son; he had left it all in my lady's hands.

"Your father had some business that took him away this morning; he knew
that I could say for him all that he had to say."

Lord Chandos smiled, and the smile was not, perhaps, the most respectful
in the world. My lady did not observe it.

"I am quite sure," he said, "that you can interpret all my father's
idea