wealth,--so said Mr Gresham,--and
she would find her fitting reward. As to her finding her fitting
reward, whatever her preferences may have been, there Mr Gresham was
no doubt quite right. On that head I myself have no doubt whatever.
After that Crosbie returned thanks, making a much better speech than
nine men do out of ten on such occasions, and then the thing was
over. No other speaking was allowed, and within half an hour from
that time, he and his bride were in the post-chaise, being carried
away to the Folkestone railway station; for that place had been
chosen as the scene of their honeymoon. It had been at one time
intended that the journey to Folkestone should be made simply as the
first stage to Paris, but Paris and all foreign travelling had been
given up by degrees.

"I don't care a bit about France;--we have been there so often,"
Alexandrina said.

She had wished to be taken to Naples, but Crosbie had made her
understand at the first whispering of the word, that Naples was quite
out of the question. He must look now in all things to money. From
the very first outset of his career he must save a shilling wherever
a shilling could be saved. To this view of life no opposition was
made by the de Courcy interest. Lady Amelia had explained to her
sister that they ought so to do their honeymooning that it should not
cost more than if they began keeping house at once. Certain things
must be done which, no doubt, were costly in their nature. The bride
must take with her a well-dressed lady's-maid. The rooms at the
Folkestone hotel must be large, and on the first floor. A carriage
must be hired for her use while she remained; but every shilling must
be saved the spending of which would not make itself apparent to the
outer world. Oh, deliver us from the poverty of those who, with small
means, affect a show of wealth! There is no whitening equal to that
of sepulchres whited as they are whited!

By the proper administration of a slight bribe Crosbie secured
for himself and his wife a compartment in the railway carriage to
themselves. And as he seated himself opposite to Alexandrina, having
properly tucked her up with all her bright-coloured trappings, he
remembered that he had never in truth been alone with her before.
He had danced with her frequently, and been left with her for a few
minutes between the figures. He had flirted with her in crowded
drawing-rooms, and had once found a moment at Courcy Castle to tel