but seldom to The
Cleeve, although his friendship was close and intimate. Nothing was
said between Mrs. Orme and Lady Mason, but each dreaded that Lord
Alston had come to remonstrate about the marriage. And so in truth he
had. The two old men were together for about an hour, and then Lord
Alston took his departure without asking for, or seeing any other
one of the family. Lord Alston had remonstrated about the marriage,
using at last very strong language to dissuade the baronet from
a step which he thought so unfortunate; but he had remonstrated
altogether in vain. Every word he had used was not only fruitless,
but injurious; for Sir Peregrine was a man whom it was very difficult
to rescue by opposition, though no man might be more easily led by
assumed acquiescence.

"Orme, my dear fellow," said his lordship, towards the end of the
interview, "it is my duty, as an old friend, to tell you this."

"Then, Lord Alston, you have done your duty."

"Not while a hope remains that I may prevent this marriage."

"There is ground for no such hope on your part; and permit me to
say that the expression of such a hope to me is greatly wanting in
courtesy."

"You and I," continued Lord Alston, without apparent attention to the
last words which Sir Peregrine had spoken, "have nearly come to the
end of our tether here. Our careers have been run; and I think I may
say as regards both, but I may certainly say as regards you, that
they have been so run that we have not disgraced those who preceded
us. Our dearest hopes should be that our names may never be held as a
reproach by those who come after us."

"With God's blessing I will do nothing to disgrace my family."

"But, Orme, you and I cannot act as may those whose names in the
world are altogether unnoticed. I know that you are doing this from a
feeling of charity to that lady."

"I am doing it, Lord Alston, because it so pleases me."

"But your first charity is due to your grandson. Suppose that he was
making an offer of his hand to the daughter of some nobleman,--as he
is so well entitled to do,--how would it affect his hopes if it were
known that you at the time had married a lady whose misfortune made
it necessary that she should stand at the bar in a criminal court?"

"Lord Alston," said Sir Peregrine, rising from his chair, "I trust
that my grandson may never rest his hopes on any woman whose heart
could be hardened against him by such a thought as that."

"But wha