uestions
about Portray, and exhibited the warmest sympathy with Lizzie's
widowed condition. He called her a "sweet, gay, unsophisticated,
light-hearted young thing." "She is very young," replied her cousin.
"Yes," he continued, in answer to further questions; "Portray is
certainly very nice. I don't know what the income is. Well; yes.
I should think it is over a thousand. Eight! No, I never heard it
said that it was as much as that." When Mr. Emilius put it down
in his mind as five, he was not void of acuteness, as very little
information had been given to him.

There was a joke throughout the castle that Mr. Emilius had fallen in
love with Miss Macnulty. They had been a great deal together on those
hunting days; and Miss Macnulty was unusually enthusiastic in praise
of his manner and conversation. To her, also, had been addressed
questions as to Portray and its income, all of which she had answered
to the best of her ability;--not intending to betray any secret, for
she had no secret to betray; but giving ordinary information on that
commonest of all subjects, our friends' incomes. Then there had risen
a question whether there was a vacancy for such promotion to Miss
Macnulty. Mrs. Carbuncle had certainly heard that there was a Mrs.
Emilius. Lucinda was sure that there was not,--an assurance which
might have been derived from a certain eagerness in the reverend
gentleman's demeanour to herself on a former occasion. To Lizzie, who
at present was very good-natured, the idea of Miss Macnulty having
a lover, whether he were a married man or not, was very delightful.
"I'm sure I don't know what you mean," said Miss Macnulty. "I don't
suppose Mr. Emilius had any idea of the kind." Upon the whole,
however, Miss Macnulty liked it.

On the Saturday nothing especial happened. Mr. Nappie was out on
his grey horse, and condescended to a little conversation with Lord
George. He wouldn't have minded, he said, if Mr. Greystock had come
forward; but he did think Mr. Greystock hadn't come forward as he
ought to have done. Lord George professed that he had observed the
same thing; but then, as he whispered into Mr. Nappie's ear, Mr.
Greystock was particularly known as a bashful man. "He didn't ride
my 'orse anyway bashful," said Mr. Nappie;--all of which was told at
dinner in the evening, amidst a great deal of laughter. There had
been nothing special in the way of sport, and Lizzie's enthusiasm for
hunting, though still high, had go