beyond
expression. We laughed heartily, at least I did, to show we were not
afraid. My lord came home last night suddenly. Odo is going to stand for
the county, and his borough is vacant. What an opportunity it would have
been for you! a certain seat. But I care for no boroughs now. My lord
will want you to dine with him to-day; I hope you can come. Perhaps he
will not be able to see you this morning, as his agent will be with him
about these elections. Adieu!"

If Lady Montfort did not like conundrums, she had succeeded, however,
in sending one sufficiently perplexing to Endymion. Could it be possible
that the writer of this letter was the unknown benefactress of the
preceding eve? Lady Montfort was not a mystifier. Her nature was
singularly frank and fearless, and when Endymion told her everything
that had occurred, and gave her the document which originally he had
meant to bring with him in order to return it, her amazement and her joy
were equal.

"I wish I had sent it," said Lady Montfort, "but that was impossible.
I do not care who did send it; I have no female curiosity except about
matters which, by knowledge, I may influence. This is finished. You are
free. You cannot hesitate as to your course. I never could speak to you
again if you did hesitate. Stop here, and I will go to my lord. This
is a great day. If we can settle only to-day that you shall be the
candidate for our borough, I really shall not much care for the change
of ministry."

Lady Montfort was a long time away. Endymion would have liked to have
gone forth on his affairs, but she had impressed upon him so earnestly
to wait for her return that he felt he could not retire. The room was
one to which he was not unaccustomed, otherwise, its contents would not
have been uninteresting; her portrait by more than one great master, a
miniature of her husband in a Venetian dress upon her writing-table--a
table which wonderfully indicated alike the lady of fashion and the
lady of business, for there seemed to be no form in which paper could be
folded and emblazoned which was there wanting; quires of letter
paper, and note paper, and notelet paper, from despatches of state to
billet-doux, all were ready; great covers with arms and supporters, more
moderate ones with "Berengaria" in letters of glittering fancy, and the
destined shells of diminutive effusions marked only with a golden
bee. There was another table covered with trinkets and precious toys;
sn