much older, that I almost fancy myself to be
another person."

"Is it a great trouble to you?"

"No,--I rather like it. It makes me feel that I do something in the
world."

"Do you go alone?"

"Quite alone. I take a German maid with me, and never speak a word to
any one else on the journey."

"That must be very bad," said Phineas.

"Yes; it is the worst of it. But then I am so much accustomed to be
alone. You see me in society, and in society only, and therefore
naturally look upon me as one of a gregarious herd; but I am in truth
an animal that feeds alone and lives alone. Take the hours of the
year all through, and I am a solitary during four-fifths of them. And
what do you intend to do?"

"I go to Ireland."

"Home to your own people. How nice! I have no people to go to. I
have one sister, who lives with her husband at Riga. She is my only
relation, and I never see her."

"But you have thousands of friends in England."

"Yes,--as you see them,"--and she turned and spread out her hands
towards the crowded lawn, which was behind them. "What are such
friends worth? What would they do for me?"

"I do not know that the Duke would do much," said Phineas laughing.

Madame Goesler laughed also. "The Duke is not so bad," she said. "The
Duke would do as much as any one else. I won't have the Duke abused."

"He may be your particular friend, for what I know," said Phineas.

"Ah;--no. I have no particular friend. And were I to wish to choose
one, I should think the Duke a little above me."

"Oh, yes;--and too stiff, and too old, and too pompous, and too cold,
and too make-believe, and too gingerbread."

"Mr. Finn!"

"The Duke is all buckram, you know."

"Then why do you come to his house?"

"To see you, Madame Goesler."

"Is that true, Mr. Finn?"

"Yes;--it is true in its way. One goes about to meet those whom one
likes, not always for the pleasure of the host's society. I hope I am
not wrong because I go to houses at which I like neither the host nor
the hostess." Phineas as he said this was thinking of Lady Baldock,
to whom of late he had been exceedingly civil,--but he certainly did
not like Lady Baldock.

"I think you have been too hard upon the Duke of Omnium. Do you know
him well?"

"Personally? certainly not. Do you? Does anybody?"

"I think he is a gracious gentleman," said Madame Goesler, "and
though I cannot boast of knowing him well, I do not like to hear him
called buckram. I do not t