it, in the horrid way men have. And I
don't wonder much, for he has had some nasty experiences, poor fellow.
There was Lady---- Oh, I almost forgot you were there, Dolly."

"You needn't mind me," said Dolly, gravely; "I've heard just as bad."

"Well," said Lady Mariamne, with a giggle, "did you ever know anything
like those girls? They are not afraid of anything. Now, when I was a
girl--don't you remember what an innocent dear I was, Mr. Tatham?--like
a lamb; never suspecting that there was any naughtiness in the
world----"

John endeavoured to put on a smile, in feeble sympathy with the
uproariousness of Lady Mariamne's laugh--but her daughter took no such
trouble. She sat as grave as a young judge, never moving a muscle. The
dog, however, held in her arms, and not at all comfortable, then making
prodigious efforts to struggle on to its mistress's more commodious lap,
burst out into a responsive bark, as shrill and not much unlike.

"Darling Toto," said Lady Mariamne, "come!--it always knows what
it's mummy means. Did you ever see such a darling little head, Mr.
Tatham?--and the faithful pet always laughs when I laugh. What was I
talking of?--St. Serf and his ladies. Well, it is not much wonder, you
know, is it? for he has always been a sort of an invalid, and he will
never marry now--and poor Hal being gone there's only Phil. Phil's been
going a pace, Mr. Tatham; but he has had a bad illness, too, and the
other boys going has sobered him a bit; and I do believe, _now_, that
he'll probably mend. And there he is, you know, tied to a---- Oh, of
course, _she_ is as right as a--as right as a--trivet, whatever that may
be. Those sort of heartless people always are: and then there's the
child. Is it living, Mr. Tatham?--that's what I want to know."

"Philip is alive and well, Lady Mariamne, if that is what you want to
know."

"Philip!--she called him after Phil, after all! Well, that is something
wonderful. I expected to hear he was John, or Jonathan, or something.
Now, where is he?" said Lady Mariamne, with the most insinuating air.

John burst into a short laugh. "I don't suppose you expect me to tell
you," he said.

"Why not?--you can't hide a boy that is heir to a peerage, Mr. Tatham!--it
is impossible. Nell has done the best she could in that way. They know
nothing about her in that awful place she was married from--of course
you remember it--a dreadful place, enough to make one commit suicide,
don't you know.