been good for
his statistics. It seemed as though a new vein in his body had been
brought into use, and that blood was running where blood had never
run before. If he had seen Lady Dumbello before Dumbello had seen
her, might he not have married her? Ah! in such case as that, had she
been simply Miss Grantly, or Lady Griselda Grantly, as the case might
have been, he thought he might have been able to speak to her with
more ease. As it was, he certainly had found the task difficult, down
in the country, though he had heard of men of his class doing the
same sort of thing all his life. For my own part, I believe that the
reputed sinners are much more numerous than the sinners.

As he sat there, a certain Mr Fothergill came in upon him. Mr
Fothergill was a gentleman who managed most of his uncle's ordinary
affairs,--a clever fellow, who knew on which side his bread was
buttered. Mr Fothergill was naturally anxious to stand well with the
heir; but to stand well with the owner was his business in life, and
with that business he never allowed anything to interfere. On this
occasion Mr Fothergill was very civil, complimenting his future
possible patron on his very powerful speech, and predicting for him
political power with much more certainty than the newspapers which
had, or had not, come from the world of spirits. Mr Fothergill had
come in to say a word or two about some matter of business. As all
Mr Palliser's money passed through Mr Fothergill's hands, and as his
electioneering interests were managed by Mr Fothergill, Mr Fothergill
not infrequently called to say a necessary word or two. When this was
done he said another word or two, which might be necessary or not, as
the case might be.

"Mr Palliser," said he, "I wonder you don't think of marrying. I hope
you'll excuse me."

Mr Palliser was by no means sure that he would excuse him, and sat
himself suddenly upright in his chair in a manner that was intended
to exhibit a first symptom of outraged dignity. But, singularly
enough, he had himself been thinking of marriage at that moment.
How would it have been with him had he known the beautiful Griselda
before the Dumbello alliance had been arranged? Would he have married
her? Would he have been comfortable if he had married her? Of
course he could not marry now, seeing that he was in love with Lady
Dumbello, and that the lady in question, unfortunately, had a husband
of her own; but though he had been thinking of marr