ant to presume upon your
good-nature, but I wonder whether I could persuade you to dine with me,
to meet a few friends of mine who are so good as to interest themselves
in this matter? Quite an informal little dinner; one or two ladies--the
Member for Belper--a Home Office man people who see things rather in my
own way--"

He added place and date; then, with Mrs. Toplady's smile still on his
lips, awaited the response. That Lord Dymchurch would much have
preferred to excuse himself was visible enough in the pleasant, open
countenance, little apt for dissembling; but no less evident was the
amiability which made it difficult for him to refuse a favour, and
which, in this instance, allied itself with something like a sense of
duty. Lord Dymchurch had been considerably impressed by Lashmar's talk;
the bio-sociological theory and all its consequences applied alike to
his reason and his imagination; he had mused over this new philosophy,
and the opportunity of being ever so little helpful to such a man as
its originator should, he felt, be regarded as a privilege. That he
could not altogether "take to" Lashmar was nothing to the point. How
often had he rebuked himself for his incrustation of prejudices, social
and personal, which interfered between him and the living, progressing
world! Fie upon his finical spirit, which dwelt so vulgarly on a man's
trivial defects!

"With pleasure," he replied; and, as if feeling it insufficient, he
added, "with great pleasure!"

Dyce's lips forgot Mrs. Toplady; he smiled his own smile of genial
satisfaction, and, as his way was when pleased, broke into effusive
talk. He told of Lady Ogram, of the political situation at Hollingford,
of editor Breakspeare, of the cantankerous Robb, and to all this Lord
Dymchurch willingly lent ear.

"I should uncommonly like you to go down with me some day. You might
find it amusing. Lady Ogram is, undeniably, a very remarkable woman."

Immediately after this conversation, Lashmar wrote off to Mrs. Toplady,
half-a-dozen exultant lines, announcing his success No more wavering,
he said to himself. Fate was on his side. He had but to disregard all
paltry obstacles, and go straight on.

Yet one obstacle, and that not altogether paltry, continually haunted
his mind. He could not forget Lady Ogram's obvious intention that he
should marry Constance Bride; and such a marriage was altogether out of
harmony with his ambition. If it brought him money--that is to