ven if your conviction's just, that
still doesn't tell me into which of my very empty pockets it will be of
the least use for me to fumble."

"Oh," Lord John laughed, "when a man has such a tremendous assortment
of breeches--!" He pulled up, however, as, in his motion, his eye caught
the great vista of the open rooms. "If it's a question of pockets--and
what's _in_ 'em--here precisely is my man!" This personage had come back
from his tour of observation and was now, on the threshold of the hall,
exhibited to Lord Theign as well. Lord John's welcome was warm. "I've
had awfully to fail you, Mr. Bender, but I was on the point of joining
you. Let me, however, still better, introduce you to our host."

VII

Mr. Bender indeed, formidably advancing, scarce had use for this
assistance. "Happy to meet you--especially in your beautiful home,
Lord Theign." To which he added while the master of Dedborough stood
good-humouredly passive to his approach: "I've been round, by your kind
permission and the light of nature, and haven't required support; though
if I had there's a gentleman there who seemed prepared to allow me any
amount." Mr. Bender, out of his abundance, evoked as by a suggestive
hand this contributory figure. "A young, spare, nervous gentleman with
eye-glasses--I guess he's an author. A friend of yours too?" he asked of
Lord John.

The answer was prompt and emphatic. "No, the gentleman is no friend at
all of mine, Mr. Bender."

"A friend of my daughter's," Lord Theign easily explained. "I hope
they're looking after him."

"Oh, they took care he had tea and bread and butter to any extent; and
were so good as to move something," Mr. Bender conscientiously added,
"so that he could get up on a chair and see straight into the Moretto."

This was a touch, however, that appeared to affect Lord John
unfavourably. "Up on a chair? I say!"

Mr. Bender took another view. "Why, I got right up myself--a little more
and I'd almost have begun to paw it! He got me quite interested"--the
proprietor of the picture would perhaps care to know--"in that Moretto."
And it was on these lines that Mr. Bender continued to advance. "I take
it that your biggest value, however, Lord Theign, is your splendid Sir
Joshua. Our friend there has a great deal to say about that too--but it
didn't lead to our moving any more furniture." On which he paused as to
enjoy, with a show of his fine teeth, his host's reassurance. "It _has_
yet, my im