from all this, don't run away with the notion Calmady is a
prig," Ludovic interposed. "He is as keen a sportsman as you are--in as
far, of course, as sport is possible for him."

Here Lord Fallowfeild, finding himself somewhat hard pressed, sought
relief in movement. He turned sideways, throwing one shapely leg across
the other, grasping the supporting walking-stick in his right hand,
while with the left he laid hold of the back of the white-and-gold
chair.

"Oh! ah! yes," he said valiantly, directing his gaze upon the tree-tops
in the Park. "I quite accept all you tell me. I don't want to detract
from your friend's merits--poor, mean sort of thing to detract from any
man's friend's merits. Gentlemanlike young fellow, Calmady, the little
I have seen of him--reminds me of my poor friend his father. I liked
his father. But, you see, my dear boy, there is--well, there's no
denying it, there is--and Shotover quite----"

"Of course, papa, we all know what you mean," Lady Louisa interposed,
with a certain loftiness and, it must be owned, asperity. "I have never
pretended there was not something one had to get accustomed to. But
really you forget all about it almost immediately--every one does--one
can see that--don't they, Alicia? If you had met Sir Richard
everywhere, as we have this season, you would realise how very very
soon that is quite forgotten."

"Is it, though?" said Lord Fallowfeild somewhat incredulously. His face
had returned to a sadly puckered condition.

"Yes, I assure you, nobody thinks of it, after just the first little
shock, don't you know,"--this from Lady Louisa.

"I think one feels it is not quite nice to dwell on a thing of that
kind," her sister chimed in, reddening again. "It ought to be
ignored."--From a girl, the speaker had enjoyed a reputation for great
refinement of mind.

"I think it amounts to being more than not nice," echoed Lady Louisa.
"I think it is positively wrong, for nobody can tell what accident may
not happen to any of us at any moment. And so I am not at all sure that
it is not actually unchristian to make a thing like that into a serious
objection."

"You know, papa, there must be deformed people in some families, just
as there is consumption or insanity."

"Or under-breeding, or attenuated salaries," Mr. Quayle softly
murmured. "It becomes evident, my dear father, you must not expect too
much of sons, or I of brothers-in-law."

"Think of old Lord Sokeington--I mean t