like an ourang-outang now his eyes are sunk and his eyebrows have grown
so tufty."--Then he glanced anxiously at Lord Shotover to assure
himself of the entire absence of simian approximations in the case of
his own family.--"Oh! ah! yes," he remarked aloud, and somewhat
vaguely. "Quite right, Knott. Then of course it was earlier. Record run
for that season. Seldom had a better. We found a fox in the Grimshott
gorse and ran to Water End without a check."

"And Lemuel Image got into the Tilney brook," Mary Ormiston said,
laughing a little.

"So he did though!" Lord Fallowfeild rejoined, beaming. And then
suddenly his complacency suffered eclipse. For, looking at the speaker,
he became disagreeably aware of having, on some occasion, said
something highly inconvenient concerning this lady to one of her near
relations. He rushed into speech again:--"Loud-voiced, blustering kind
of fellow, Image. I never have liked Image. Extraordinary marriage that
of his with a connection of poor Aldborough's. Never have understood
how her people could allow it."

"Oh! money'll buy pretty well everything in this world except brains
and a sound liver," Dr. Knott said, as he lowered himself cautiously on
to the seat of the highest chair available.

"Or a good conscience," Mrs. Cathcart observed, with mild dogmatism.

"I am not altogether so sure about that," the doctor answered. "I have
known the doubling of a few charitable subscriptions work extensive
cures under that head. Depend upon it there's an immense deal more
conscience-money paid every year than ever finds its way into the
coffers of the Chancellor of the Exchequer."

"So there is though!" said Lord Fallowfeild, with an air of regretful
conviction. "Never put it as clearly as that myself, Knott, but must
own I am afraid there is."

Mr. Cathcart, who had joined Lord Shotover upon the hearth-rug, here
intervened. He had a tendency to air local grievances, especially in
the presence of his existing noble guest, whom he regarded, not wholly
without reason, as somewhat lukewarm and dilatory in questions of
reform.

"I own to sharing your dislike of Image," he remarked. "He behaved in
an anything but straightforward manner about the site for the new
cottage hospital at Parson's Holt."

"Did he, though?" said Lord Fallowfeild.

"Yes.--I supposed it had been brought to your notice."

Lord Fallowfeild fidgeted a little.--"Rather too downright, Cathcart,"
he said to himself. "G