than the world ever supposed he would. Had he
married Berengaria, the failure would have been great; but he was united
to a being capable of deep affection and very sensitive, yet grateful
for kindness from a husband to a degree not easily imaginable. And
Waldershare had really a good heart, though a bad temper, and he was
a gentleman. Besides, he had a great admiration and some awe of his
father-in-law, and Lord Hainault, with his good-natured irony, and
consummate knowledge of men and things, quite controlled him. With
Lady Hainault he was a favourite. He invented plausible theories and
brilliant paradoxes for her, which left her always in a state of charmed
wonder, and when she met him again, and adopted or refuted them, for her
intellectual power was considerable, he furnished her with fresh dogmas
and tenets, which immediately interested her intelligence, though she
generally forgot to observe that they were contrary to the views and
principles of the last visit. Between Adriana and Imogene there was
a close alliance, and Lady Beaumaris did everything in her power to
develop Lady Waldershare advantageously before her husband; and so,
not forgetting that Waldershare, with his romance, and imagination, and
fancy, and taste, and caprice, had a considerable element of worldliness
in his character, and that he liked to feel that, from living in
lodgings, he had become a Monte Cristo, his union with Adriana may be
said to be a happy and successful one.

The friendship between Sir Peter Vigo and his brother M.P., Mr.
Rodney, never diminished, and Mr. Rodney became richer every year. He
experienced considerable remorse at sitting in opposition to the son
of his right honourable friend, the late William Pitt Ferrars, and
frequently consulted Sir Peter on his embarrassment and difficulty. Sir
Peter, who never declined arranging any difficulty, told his friend
to be easy, and that he, Sir Peter, saw his way. It became gradually
understood, that if ever the government was in difficulties, Mr.
Rodney's vote might be counted on. He was peculiarly situated, for, in a
certain sense, his friend the Right Honourable William Pitt Ferrars had
entrusted the guardianship of his child to his care. But whenever the
ministry was not in danger, the ministry must not depend upon his vote.

Trenchard had become Secretary of the Treasury in the Wilton
administration, had established his reputation, and was looked upon as
a future minister. Ja